VA Halloween One-Shot Compilation
by VA10thanniversaryproject
Summary: To celebrate Halloween and the 10th Anniversary of Vampire Academy, a small group of avid VA fandom writers have teamed up to create a collection of one-shots to keep your Halloween spooky and kooky!
1. Introduction

Continuing our celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Vampire Academy,

this collection of stories is based around the theme of Halloween.

Each chapter is written by a different author so please remember to leave a REVIEW at the end of each story.

If you like a story, feel free to check out the author's other works (links provided on our profile page).

There is one more collaboration remaining for the year, so click favourite/follow to receive the alerts.

A big thank you to all of the authors who have contributed to this project - and a warm welcome on board to all the first-time writers to this group.

We also thank Richelle Mead for creating the VA world/characters we have borrowed in our stories.

As always, all rights belong to her.

Happy Reading!

** Reminder** This collection has been posted in the 'M' category. The administrators of this group have not edited writers' work or placed any restrictions on the content allowed, so some chapters may include sexual content and/or violence. If you are uncomfortable with the subject matter of a certain story, please use your own discretion and move on to another chapter.

* * *

 **1\. Play Bunny Play** (by PrincessAnastasiaBelikov)  
Rose and Dimitri have a very Happy Halloween weekend together. No set timeline, just sometimes when Dimitri and Rose are together and everyone knows about them.

 **2\. Parties and Costumes and a Strigoi?** (by behindthesehazeleyes1990)  
Dimitri was never turned and the Queen was never murdered. The gang is at Lehigh enjoying the collage experience. It's close to Halloween and there is a party they are dying to go to. Will the stoic Dimitri agree? Who will show up? What trouble will they find themselves in? Follow our gang for a Halloween experience they wont forget.

 **3\. A Halloween to Remember!** (by princesslara99)  
AU. Dimitri is a royal moroi and Rose is his girlfriend. They are currently seniors at St. Vladimir's and it is Dimitri's first Halloween with Rose. Everything seems perfect in the beginning – a typical high school Halloween party, but suddenly the air changes. A danger impending springs up out of nowhere! Come read and find out how Rose and gang deal the situation.

 **4\. Pumpkins, Lanterns and Spirits** (by katnipsc)  
The members of the gang celebrating Halloween throughout the years.

 **5\. Play Your Role** (by TiA995)  
The masks we wear and the roles we play in life change, especially when it comes to someone as complicated as Adrian Ivashkov. Follow the events of four Halloweens where Adrian grows through his roles of a lonely boy in a home that's not filled with warmth and love, a confused teenager finding his way to new experiences, a conflicted college student with a mask of a party boy and a fulfilled man who's found his happiness.

 **6\. When We Were Young - A Halloween Tale** (by bluegoldrose)  
Thirteen year old Lissa and Rose celebrate Halloween at St. Vladimir's with their friends.

 **7\. Daymares and Nightdreams** (by dcarot)  
When someone is living the perfect life, what are their nightmares filled with? When someone is living a nightmare, what haunts their dreams. The following are two stories, one from Lissa's point of view and one from Rose's. I'm not sure I have a specific point in the timeline for the first half but the second part, Rose's POV is very clearly from Blood Promise. I think dreams are never straight forward, but always say something, and I think what Lissa and Rose experience here brings up some of the real questions they faced. Hard truths, in my opinion are the scariest things of all.

 **8\. Into the Trees** (by ohorpheuss & Swimming The Same Deep Waters)  
It all began on a Thursday, and that's appropriate because Wednesdays are fitting for endings. This is the story of a dreamlike experience - or an experience-like dream, depending on who you ask. Fake knights and real princesses, a girl in a green dress, a point of no return, and that one day in the year that makes every single one of these things possible. Set a few days before the Equinox Dance.

 **9\. Guardian's Halloween** (by thefangirldiaries)  
In the days leading up to the guardian's Halloween party, strange things are happening to Rose and Dimitri. They have to uncover the truth before they're both at the mercy of a murderer.

 **10\. Something Frightening, Something Scary** (by VAlover10)  
A Halloween party at court sounds like fun right? But not when there are people lurking in the shadows who will stop at nothing until they have gotten what they want. This story is based on the brief period of time not told in either series Vampire Academy or Bloodlines after Lissa has become queen but before Jill was attacked and became shadow kissed.

 **11\. Seeing Double** (by BookWretched)  
Takes place after Last Sacrifice. Halloween only rolls around once a year, but Dimitri is going to regret his resolution to let Rose have her fun. Is he seeing double, or is Rose up to one of her tricks again? I don't know, Comrade, maybe you should cut back on the vodka.


	2. Play Bunny Play

**Title:** Play Bunny Play

 **Author:** PrincessAnastasiaBelikov

 **Background:** Rose and Dimitri have a very Happy Halloween weekend together. No set timeline, just sometimes when Dimitri and Rose are together and everyone knows about them. In honor of Huge Heffner's recent passing.

* * *

"You don't think it's too much?" I asked Lissa for probably the hundredth time as I looked in the mirror. I looked sexy, there was no question about that but I felt I looked maybe too sexy. Was that a thing? Almost slutty and desperate. This was a stupid idea, I should just take it off.

"Rose, you look great! And Dimitri will freak when he see's you," she smiled at me from her spot on mine and Dimitri's bed. "Now, don't over think things."

"Okay," I shrugged as I took in the outfit once more. I had gotten the idea of dressing up for Dimitri when I watched Legally Blonde with Lissa a few weeks ago. I thought it would be a nice surprise for him, but now I wasn't so sure. I was terrified that he would see me and be repulsed or worse, laugh in my face. I had never done anything like this before. And when it came to Dimitri I turned into a silly school girl.

"Rose, stop thinking about it," Lissa shook her head. "Do you want me to call Adrian over to look at you? Will that make you feel better?"

"I don't know, maybe, I just don't want him to picture me in it for years to come," I told her honestly. I was feeling really nervous with how I was dressed and I didn't want Adrian to sit there and use me as a fantasy. Though he really hadn't done that in awhile.

"You know that's not going to happen," Lissa rolled her eyes. "Ever since he started dating Sydney he's been a changed man. You know that, plus he will give you an honest and male answer."

"Okay," I nodded at her. Lissa pulled out her phone and sent a quick text.

Lissa pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. "He said he will be here in a few minutes," she told me. "I think you need to get out of your own head, this isn't going to work if you are so uptight about it. Relax! I dress up for Christian all the time!"

"Ugh! I know," I shuddered thinking back to some of the moments I had been privy too. That was the only downside when the bond was still going, now her mind was her own and I didn't have to see Christian's winky.

"Don't be such a prude," she stood up when there was a knock on my apartment door. I could hear her greet Adrian and welcome him inside.

I looked at myself in the mirror again. I was dressed as a Playboy Bunny. I was wearing a black strapless corset teddy, that was fitted to me like a second skin. It was so tight it was difficult to breathe. But my boobs were pushed up high and looked amazing, well they almost were spilling out. On top of my head was a pair of black and white bunny ears, my hair was styled in what Lissa called "sex kitten curls" and my make was subtle but sexy. I had on a collar and a bowtie along with tuxedo cuffs. In the back, there was a white cotton tail. I had on sheer black lace stockings and I was in a pair of white stiletto pumps. I felt a little too sexy, could one be too sexy? Maybe I just looked slutty.

"Fuck," I heard behind me. I spun around to see Adrian standing there staring at me.

"Do I really look that bad?" I asked him. "It's too much, right? I think I should take it off." I went to remove my costume when Lissa jumped at me.

"No!" She exclaimed. "It took me twenty minutes to get you into that because of how tight it is, you are not taking it off! Plus Dimitri will be home soon."

"Little Dhampir!" Adrian exclaimed as he took me in again. "Or should I say Little Bunny? You look amazing! I don't know what you are worried about, Cradle Robber will drop his teeth when he sees you."

"You aren't just saying that, right?" I asked him all nervous. "Why am I so nervous?"

"It is anything but too much," Adrian told me as he looked me over again. "You are sexy. I can see the curve of your body and that's it, not to mention it's every guy's fantasy. To have his own personal bunny."

"Everything is going to go fine," Lissa rolled her eyes at me again, she had been hanging out with Christain too much. "Christain made you guys dinner and all you have to do is put it on a plate. Though I don't know when you are going to eat."

"I feel like I am going to be sick," I told them both.

"Rose, what's wrong with you?" Lissa asked me. Now from anyone else that would have sounded harsh, but coming from my best friend it just sounded blunt.

"I don't know, I have never done this before," I told her honestly.

"You have dressed up for him before," she pointed out the obvious. "Why are you so nervous now? Adrian's right, every guy wants his own personal bunny. And that's what you are giving him!"

"I have dressed up in lingerie not in an actual costume before," I told her. "What if he doesn't like it? What if I look too desperate? What if he can't get it off? It did take you a long time to zip me in."

"First of all," Adrian started. "You could be wearing a trash bag and he would find you sexy. Second, you don't look desperate because you already had him. If you didn't have him and snuck into his room like that, then yeah you would look desperate and like a hoe."

"But you do have him," Lissa interrupted Adrian. "So it's just a nice surprise for him. And trust me, he will find a way to get it off of you. Even if he has to cut you out of it, or just tear it."

"Are you crazy? Do you know how much this thing cost?" I asked her in shock. "This better make it out of this weekend in one piece."

"My point is, that he will find a way to get it off, trust me," Lissa rolled her eyes. "Now we need to go or he is going to find all three of us in his bedroom."

"Fine," I mumbled. "But can you touch up my makeup before you leave?"

"Yeah, go sit on the bed," Lissa nodded. "You should go Adrian and thanks for the help."

"Bye Adrain," I called as he went to leave.

"Bye Litte Bunny," Adrian called with a cheeky wink before heading out of my apartment.

Lissa touched up my makeup while giving me a pep talk. It was so weird, in high school, it was the other way around. I was the one who was confident and adventurous, but now Lissa was confident. And I was terrified of showing my boyfriend what I looked like in a costume. Maybe there was something wrong with me? Girls normally weren't nervous to show their boyfriend a new outfit.

"You know, the first time I dressed up for Christain I was scared out of my mind," she told me as she put lipstick on me. "I literally changed in and out of the outfit like ten times, finally he got there right after I put it on so I couldn't back out. He was so excited and turned on. He told me he liked me for me but he liked seeing me get dressed up for him, something about his ego."

"I hope Dimitri likes it," I told her.

"I am sure he will," she grinned at me. She quickly finished and started packing up all the things she brought with her. "I am going to head out, I don't think it's part of your plan for me to be here when Dimitri comes in."

"Too true," I grinned at her. "Thanks for the help."

"Your welcome! I will see you on Monday," she waved at me before walking out of my bedroom. "Oh!" I heard her voice carry through the apartment. "Rose is in your guys' room, I was just leaving."

I guess Dimitri was home. I stood up and smoothed out the costume a little bit. I took a deep breath and decided it was now or never. I rolled my shoulders back and walked out into the main room. I added a little swing in my hips to make it more of a strut. I could do this, I told myself. I noticed Dimitri was looking at some mail on the counter, he didn't even look up when I walked into the room.

"What do you want for dinner?" Dimitri asked me as he looked through the mail.

I stood there posed a little, my back arched, my hips tucked under me, and my chest out. One of my arms resting on my hip, the other down by my side. I waited for him to look at me. He finally tore his eyes away from the mail when I didn't respond.

I watched as he turned to look at me. His eyes resting on my face for a millisecond before they raked down my body. His grip tightened on the letters he was holding before it loosened. He dropped everything he was holding, the mail falling to the ground in a crumpled mess. His gaze was hungry and desperate. I could see the desire burning in his eyes. My skin flushed as I watched him reach down and adjust himself in his pants. I watched as he teetered on his feet, almost like he was going to run over and tear my clothes off of me.

Dimitri's gaze made my skin flush with anticipation. His eyes gleamed with passion and a promise. I watched as he gulped, his eyes traveling from head to toe as he took me in. His eyes resting on my breasts. I tossed my hair back a little and I noticed how his eyes snapped to the movement. He made eye contact with me and I sucked in a breath as I saw the fire within them.

He looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. He looked at me like I was a glass of water and he hadn't had a drink in months. If it had been anyone else looking at me the way he looked at me I would have felt insecure. But with Dimitri, I felt desirable and sexy. I felt powerful, I was the one making him have the reaction he was having. I was the one making him feel that way. I was the one he wanted to take to bed. My confidence skyrocketed as he stared at me.

My body shivered at the promise behind his eyes. I could see the bulge in his pants growing as he took me in again. I bit my lip and crossed my right leg in front of my left, my hands going to clasp behind my back. The movement involuntarily causing my breasts to be pushed out more. I heard him groan loudly, his breathing turned heavy.

He continued to look at me for a few minutes, not saying anything. The confidence I originally was feeling started to dwindle as he continued to not say anything. I was getting worried. It was too much, I knew it was too sexy. No, I told myself, he wants you. I tried to give myself a pep-talk as he continued to look at me. Why wasn't he doing anything? He should do something.

"Dimitri?" I asked him softly when he didn't say anything. I was starting to get a little nervous when he didn't say anything.

"Wow," I heard him whisper out. "Yebat' menya." I watched as his eyes traveled down my body and back up again. He did that multiple times, it was like he didn't know where to look.

"Happy Halloween," I whispered seductively.

"Dinner later, bedroom now," Dimitri walked over to me a scooped me up into his arms in a fireman's carry. I squealed at how fast he moved. My arms wrapped around his neck to keep balance. He carried me straight to our bedroom and dropped me on our bed.

I giggled as I bounced a little. Dimitri soon joined me on the bed and went to work trying to remove the corset teddy. He was able to get it off of me in one try, the zipper not proving to be difficult in his hands. Thankfully he didn't rip it. You would be amazed at how much something with such little fabric cost.

"Someone's excited," I said as I went to remove the bunny ears. Dimitri grabbed my wrists.

"Leave them on," he told me his voice husky. "And the shoes."

I chuckled as he kissed me. Seems like Adrian was right, every man did want his own bunny. Dimitri's mouth covered mine in a hungry kiss, his whole body pressed up against mine and I could feel the bulge growing in his pants. His mouth took dominance over mine and I could feel the passion down into my toes. I felt him pull away and trail kisses down my chin to my throat. His hands came up to undo the bow tie and collar that was around my neck. The moment it was removed his lips found the sweet spot on my neck and attacked it.

I moaned loudly as I felt him nip and suck on my neck. My hands went to undo the buttons on his shirt so I could take it off of him. My fingers kept slipping as I tried to unbutton his shirt, finally, I just grabbed it and ripped. Thanks to my Guardian training I was able to tear the buttons of his shirt and was able to slip it off his shoulders. My hands ran up and down his chest and abs. Feeling every ripple of his muscles. I could feel his muscles tight underneath his skin, my hands traced the grooves on his abdomen.

"Roza," Dimitri moaned softly as he trailed kisses down my chest. I felt him take one of my nipples into his mouth. I groaned and thrust my chest up toward him. He nipped at my breast and rolled my nipple with his tongue. It felt so good.

"Oh god," I moaned loudly as he switched breasts. "Too many clothes," I mumbled as I tried to take his belt and pants off.

Dimitri groaned as he pulled away from my breasts but he stood up and stripped off his clothes. He stood before me clad in nothing, his cock was standing fully at attention. I licked my lips as I stared at his thick long cock. I used to read trashy romance novels with Lissa and I always thought the size of the cocks described were overexaggerated. But when I saw Dimitri's for the first time, I knew that they weren't.

Dimitri stared down at me and grasped his cock in his hand. I saw him rub his hand up and down, slowly jacking himself off as he looked at me.

"Trick or treat?" He asked me, his voice low and seductive. I watched his hand move up and down, I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs. God, he was incredible, and all mine.

"Why not both?" I asked him, my voice sounding a lot huskier than I meant it.

Dimitri pounced on me. His mouth took possession of nipples once again. His hand rolling and pitching the one he wasn't sucking on. He switched breasts, giving them both equal treatment. I gasped and arched my back. I felt his hand dip low and a finger slowly run up and down my slit. It felt so good. And I could feel myself getting wetter with each stroke. Dimitri trailed kisses down my chest and to my stomach, I felt his tongue dip into my belly button and make circles around it. Oh, that felt so good. I moaned loudly.

He kept kissing lower until his mouth was on top of my pubic bone. I wanted him to go lower, I pushed my hips toward his mouth but he wouldn't move. He kissed and nibbled around my pubic bone and moved across from the center to my left him and then to my right hip. I bucked my hips up toward him again, but he moved his mouth. He was purposely avoiding where I wanted him most of all.

I let out a frustrated and strangled scream, I felt Dimitri's breath against my skin as he chuckled softly. "Easy, my little bunny," he teased me softly. "I promise to make you scream with pleasure many times tonight."

He moved down the bed and lifted up my right leg. He kissed the inside of my ankle and trailed kisses all the way up until his mouth reached the inside of my thigh. His mouth mere inches from my sex. I felt him suckle the skin there before he lightly bit into my flesh. I moaned loudly, he bit softly but it was so erotic. His tongue soothed my skin the moment his teeth left my skin. He moved away and I soon felt the process on my other leg. He trailed kisses up my leg and then sucked and nipped the skin of my upper thigh. I so wanted his mouth on top of my sex.

I felt his lips leave my skin and groaned in agony. My hands fisted into the sheets as I tried to stop myself from attacking him, Dimitri loved foreplay and he loved building me up until I was a dripping mess. I heard Dimitri chuckle softly as he stared down at me.

"Are you going to do something about this?" I asked him, my voice sounding rough to my own ears. I stared up at the ceiling willing him to put his mouth on me. I could feel my natural lubrication running down me and making my thighs sticky. I was so turned on right now.

Dimitri's tongue was on me without warning. I felt him lick me from bottom to top in slow even strokes. I threw my head back and arched my back as I let myself fall into the pleasure. He kept up the slow strokes, licking me from the bottom to the top. Never adding in anything, never changing. Just slow methodical strokes. It felt so good but I wanted more, I needed more. I tried to buck my hips up toward him to follow his tongue, but he draped my knees over his arms and held me down. This was going to be at my pace.

I let out a frustrated groan when I realized the building fire in my belly was just being kept at bay. It wasn't being fanned to grow, but more to stay the same.

"Should have picked the treat," Dimitri mumbled into my skin as he continued his slow teasing. He was enjoying himself so much more than I was.

"Please," I moaned loudly.

I felt Dimitri's hot breath blow over my most sensitive parts. I groaned again thinking about how much more teasing would happen. Within seconds Dimitri's mouth covered my sex and sucked on my clit hard. I screamed and the sudden stimulation. My hips bucked wildly as he continued his torment, his tongue circled my clit as he sucked. I felt a finger stroke my slit softly as his mouth worked me over. It felt so good.

Dimitri slipped a finger up inside me as his tongue continued to draw patterns on my bundle of nerves. I could feel him hook his finger and rub that sweet spot inside me. My hands clutched at the sheets as the pleasure overtook my body. I could feel him add another finger and his ministrations on my sweet spot continue. He rubbed furiously and almost violently as his mouth added to the pleasure I was feeling. As soon as I got close to letting that fire deep in my belly explode, he backed off before continuing again. I was kept permanently on edge.

"You like that?" He asked me as he pulled away from me softly. His fingers still deep inside me, I felt him add another finger.

"Oh God," I moaned loudly as I felt him put pressure on my g-spot. I could feel my body wanting to cum badly, but I didn't have enough stimulation. "Please," I begged him. "I am so close."

"Not yet," he said as he put his mouth back over my clit. My entire body was shaking with the amount of pleasure that was coursing through my veins. I felt my hands travel down to his hair and pull him toward me. I felt like I was going to explode any minute.

"Oh," I whimpered softly as his tongue drew a pattern that made me see stars.

"That's it, Roza," I heard him whisper softly. "Cum for me," his mouth was back on me and his hand seemed to thrust in and out of me faster along with constantly hitting that sweet spot. His teeth lightly nipped at my clit and I lost it.

I screamed loudly as I came. My body shaking and my toes curling. My back arched harshly and my hips bucked up toward his mouth, Dimitri never stopped what he was doing. My eyes clamped shut and I literally saw stars when I opened them. My body rolled into another orgasm without me noticing. I couldn't tell when it began and the other ended. Dimitri didn't stop what he was doing. I could feel how wet I was with every shudder that rolled through me.

"Oh," I whimpered as Dimitri finally stopped what he was doing. I looked at him with hooded eyes as he pulled his fingers out of me and licked them. He made eye contact with me as he did.

"Mmm," he moaned softly. "Definitely a treat for me."

Dimitri moved up the bed so he was hovering over me. His lips captured mine in a sweet kiss, I could taste myself on him and it was oddly sexy. I felt him press his body to me and I could feel every inch of him against me. I loved being close to him. He made me feel so loved with the smallest actions. His cock rubbed up and down me as he kissed me. I could feel how hard he was and how was, it made me feel good that he got so turned on giving me pleasure.

Before I could offer to return the favor, I felt him slowly push into me. I could feel every inch of his cock as he pushed into my tight heat. He let out a low moan as my warmth enveloped him tightly.

Dimitri set a slow and sensual pace as he moved in and out of me. At one point he swirled his hips, causing the tip of him to hit a spot inside of me that made me moan. He would thrust in and out, and every few thrusts he would swirl his hips again. It was an amazing pattern that caused me to clamp down on him with pleasure, he slowly brought me to my third orgasm of the night as he continued his pace. His lips never leaving mine as he thrust in and out. The sensuality bringing me closer to him.

After I came down from my high, he flipped me over. I was on all fours and he pushed my shoulders down onto the bed, my ass high up in the air. He pushed into me harshly and started a brutal pace. While before our movements were sensual and erotic, now they were passionate and rough. I could feel his balls hitting me as he moved in and out. He wrapped a hand in my hair and pulled my head back causing my back to arch and me to moan. His other hand gripped my hip and held tightly, I was sure I would have a bruise tomorrow.

"Oh fuck," I shouted as I felt my body rock with pleasure. Dimitri rarely got this rough with me and I was loving it.

Dimitri's hand on my hip pulled back and I heard the slap before I felt it. My back arched as he spanked my ass again, and my juices flowed out of me. His hand went back to rest on my hip and I felt his thumb lightly stroke my ass. I could feel him put a little pressure before it slipped inside my back door. Dimitri and I had tried anal before.

Dimitri and I had tried anal before. It was something we reserved for "special occasions." So while him slipping his thumb into my ass was a surprise, it wasn't a massive surprise.

"That's it, baby," Dimitri said as he continued to fuck me. My hips were pushing back into him with each thrust and I was loving every second of it. "Come on, little bunny," he whispered. "Cum on my cock."

I loved when Dimitri talked dirty and I wished he would do it more often, but it only really happened when he was super turned on. Tonight was one of those nights and I was so glad that my little costume had caused that to happen. I knew tomorrow I would be sore, but I didn't care. Rough sex with Dimitri was just as good as making love with him.

His dirty talk pushed me over the edge for the fourth time and my pussy clamped down on him as I came hard. My body shaking and my toes curling, I literally felt my desire run down my thighs.

As my orgasm subsided I pulled away from him harshly. My body needed a second, we had been going at it for hours. Dimitri had incredible stamina and so did I, but I needed a break. Especially with how rough we were getting. I moved away from him and saw him staring at me with a heartbroken expression on his face.

"Get off the bed," I told him as I slipped off the bed. He got off and stood in front of me. I grabbed a pillow and dropped it to the ground before falling to my knees. "I think you deserve a treat too."

Dimitri's cock stood hard and at attention. I licked my lips slowly while I thought about what I wanted to do first. Taking a page out of his book, I licked from base to tip. Not taking him in my mouth yet, just teasing me slowly. I heard his low moan as I repeated my actions. I did that three times, and on the third time twirled my tongue around his shaft as I came up. I could taste myself on him along with his precum.

I sucked on the tip of his cock and watched as his eyes closed. His hands clenched at his sides as if he was stopping them from wrapping in my hair. I continued to suck on the tip of his cock until I felt him jerk his hips. I slowly took him as deep as I could into my mouth, my tongue swirling around the shaft as I did. I could feel him hit the back of my throat and willed my gag reflex away.

I continued to bob up and down on his cock, my tongue swirling around the shaft every single time I took him into my mouth. I lightly scraped my teeth one time and heard him let out a loud moan.

"Fuck," he said harshly as he jerked his hips toward my face. I decided to try to take him fully down my throat, slowly moved him down my mouth and tried to relax as best I could. I had only ever taken him down my throat once, he came almost instantly that time.

Pushing his cock down my throat, my hands went to his hips to steady myself. I continued to suck him down my throat until my nose hit his pubic bone, I moaned around his cock when I felt him tighten. One of my hands moved to massage his balls as I moved back down his cock and went to take him down my throat again. I was able to take him down my throat a few times before I gagged.

I pulled back harshly coughing and sputtering as I did. "Sorry," I said as I coughed a little.

"Damn, Roza," Dimitri said as he helped me off the floor. "Don't apologize, that's the sexiest thing ever. Back on the bed," he commanded lightly.

He pulled us both toward the bed and laid down before pulling me on top of him. I got the message pretty clearly and slowly sunk myself down onto his cock. Oh, that felt so good. I took him as deep as I could. Dimitri's hands went to hold my hips as I started to bounce up and down on his cock. My hands rested on his abs as I pushed myself up and down. I loved riding him, I could control how deep he went.

"Oh God!" I moaned loudly. I rotated my hips clockwise on the downward stroke and Dimitri thrust his hips up at the same time. The sensation was amazing and toe-curling.

The two of us continued the pace. I could feel my body building back up to another orgasm. Dimitri took one of his hands and grabbed my breast. He rolled my nipple between his thumb and index finger. I threw my head back as I continued to ride his cock. His other hand left my hip and he started to rub my clit as I rode him. I could feel my body getting ready to fall over the edge.

"Cum with me baby," Dimitri said harshly. I could tell he was holding off on coming for me. My hands rested on his lower abs and I could feel how tight they were, he needed to cum and badly.

"Almost there," I told him as I continued to bounce.

"That's it, baby," Dimitri whispered out his voice rough. "Bounce on my cock."

"Oh fuck," I screamed as I pushed down onto him. His dirty talk once again pushing me over the edge. Dimitri let out a low loud moan and a quick shout as he emptied himself into me. Dimitri's hands grabbed onto my hips and held me down as he came. I could feel him shooting his load into me. My back arch as my orgasm tore through me.

A few minutes later I collapsed on top of him.

"Wow," he said his breathing heavy.

"You liked the costume?" I asked him timidly.

"Like, is an understatement," he told me chuckling. "I hope I get my little bunny for my birthday too."

"Happy Halloween," I told him laughing lightly at his subtle suggestion. It really was a good purchase and maybe I would bring it out for his birthday. I guess he would just have to wait and see.

"A very Happy Halloween," he said, his hand brushing up and down my back.

* * *

"So what did he think?" Lissa asked me on Monday morning as we had coffee. We were sitting at one of the little cafes that court had and we were filling each other in on our Halloween weekend.

"He liked it," I told her blushing a little. "It was so worth price!" I stared at the cup of coffee in my hand.

"I told you he would like it," Lissa grinned at me. "And Adrian told you too! Nothing gets a guy going more than his girl dressing up for him, at least that's what Christian tells me."

"Thanks for telling me to get it," I told her. "And thanks for forcing me to wear it. You know we never did leave the apartment. We also never took the bunny ears off," I said thinking about it.

"I am glad you had fun!"

"It was a really Happy Halloween," I blushed again before taking a long drink from my coffee.

"Play bunny play," she teased me.


	3. Parties and Costumes and a Strigoi?

**Title:** Parties and Costumes and a Strigoi?

 **Author:** behindthesehazeleyes1990

 **Background:** Dimitri was never turned and the Queen was never murdered. The gang is at Lehigh enjoying the collage experience. It's close to Halloween and there is a party they are dying to go to. Will the stoic Dimitri agree? Who will show up? What trouble will they find themselves in? Follow our gang for a Halloween experience they wont forget.

* * *

Oh my god government and economics, I could beat my head right through this desk. I was so bored. I should have become Christians guardian, he was across campus taking cooking classes. He always got so mad when I called it that. He would yell that it was culinary science. I knew that, but lets be honest it really was glorified cooking classes no matter what words you used.

We had been at Lehigh since the middle of August. I'm shocked Tatiana let me even become Lissa's guardian. Eddie was her second guardian and Dimitri had been reassigned to Christian. We all loved it here on campus, especially us dhampire we would have never been able to get the collage experience any other way. Finally this fucking class was over, Lissa, Eddie, and I packed up our stuff to head home. That was another rule from her majesty about coming here, we all had to live in a house that was warded, but honestly it was great and much safer. And between Lissa and Adrian's spirit they had learned how to amp up the magic in the wards. Nothing could break it.

When we met Dimitri, Christian, and Adrian at the SUV they were looking at a piece of paper. I instantly went into protection mode while Eddie went to see what it was. Lissa was the last of her line and if that was a threat against her I would hunt the person down and personally make them pay.

" Hey Hathaway it's just an invite to a Halloween party." Eddie told us

Lissa and I raced over to take a look. We hadn't been to a Halloween party since we were on the run in Portland. I could feel the excitement from her through the bond. I could tell we all really wanted to go. I would just have to convince my Russian god. Easy enough right? With all of us piled in the SUV we headed home. I was happy all my friends knew about Dimitri and I. They had all taken it really well and even Adrian had backed off, although he still made the occasional sexual comment. But that was Adrian for you, he would never change.

" What are you thinking about Milaya?"

I looked over into the brown soulful eyes I loved so much, might as well ask now. At least I would have back up.

" Well I thought it would be fun to go to that Halloween party." I said and sure enough the back up came through.

" Yeah it would be fun!" everyone said from the back. Liss was really excited and it was coming straight through me. I felt like bouncing in my seat.

" I'll think about it." was all he said.

We were all quiet again. Pulling into the garage Dimitri and Eddie went to check in with Mikhail and Celeste. They had come with us, Celeste as the other female guardian if Lissa wanted to shop, and Mikhail came to watch the house while we were all at school. It wasn't a glorious job but he was happy to be away from a headquarters desk where he had been stuck. All because he went to track down his love Ms. Karp. I probably would have done the same thing for Dimitri. I had come close to losing him when the school had been attacked right before graduation.

Lissa and Christian went to there room to study and have some alone time. I would be putting up my blocks for the rest of the evening. I walked into mine and Dimitri's bedroom throwing my back pack on the desk in the corner and stripping out of my jeans and t-shirt. I heard the door open and knew who it was.

I swayed my hips a bit more then needed as I walked towards the bed and climbed on top of the blankets. Leaning myself against the head board Dimitri moaned and throwing his stuff off climbed up here with me. He started kissing my neck but I wanted to talk first. He would agree to this party before dinner time.

' Comrade, are you really going to think about that Halloween party? Because we really want to go."

He sat back up and looked at me. I could tell he was about to put forth his zen shit so I cut him off.

" Dimitri I know what you're going to say. But you're wrong it doesn't have to be dangerous none of us aside from Adrian will even be drinking. Celeste and Mikhail could come with us. And if we run into trouble I'll know it's coming. Remember my shadow kissed abilities?"

I watched as he mulled it over and just when I thought he would still say no he nodded his head yes. I was so excited I let out a Lissa approved squeal, and jumped on top of him. I could feel he was excited in another way and it would have led to more if it hadn't been for Eddie, Christian, and Lissa busting through the door. Probably should have locked that...

" What's wrong oh shit what the hell guys?"

Eddie shuddered after his outburst. Lissa's eyes were glued to us before she turned red and looked away. Poor sparky looked like he wanted hell to swallow him whole right now. So I thought I'd relieve the tension. Me being me and all, very little embarrassed me.

" We get to go to the party!" I yelled

Lissa squealed just like I had and ran to tackle me. I saw Dimitri cover himself with a pillow the minute Lissa knocked me out of his lap. Now I was a bit uncomfortable.

" Um Lissa I love you, but you hugging me in my underwear in front of everyone is a bit awkward."

She let go mumbling an apology and said they were going to get dinner started. Eddie said he needed a shower, probably a cold one. That made me outright laugh. Once they all left I climbed back onto the bed to have some much needed time with my Russian.

After our bedroom activities and then some amazing shower time I was starving, our activities always made me hungry afterwards. We made our way down stairs where I smelled the most amazing food. On the table sat a plate of steaks, mashed potatoes, rolls, and eww vegetables. We all sat down to eat. I loaded my plate with as much as it would hold, Christian even after all this time had apparently not gotten used to my appetite. He looked at my plate with disgust.

" So Rose we should go look for our costumes after classes tomorrow." Lissa said. That would be awesome.

" Yeah Celeste you will be coming with us to the party so you should come with us tomorrow." I said

She nodded with a smile on her face. All of a sudden the door bell rang. Who the hell could that be? Dimitri, Celeste, and Mikhail stayed with the Moroi while Eddie and I went to the front door. I opened it stake in hand and saw the nastiest sight in front of me. I knew Halloween brought the ugliest creatures out but couldn't someone have hidden this one away?

" Tasha"

I said as she scowled at me. That only made her look more like a creature from a horror movie.

" Oh Rose I didn't realize you were still around."she said

Seriously what the fuck? I slammed the door in her face and locked it. Eddie was trying hard not to laugh. I walked back into the kitchen and sat down to finish eating my dinner.

" Well who was at the door?" Lissa asked curiosity flooding the bond.

" oh yeah I almost forgot. There is a scar faced creature out there, but don't worry I locked her out."

Christian and Dimitri both groaned knowing exactly who I was talking about. Liss on the other hand started yelling and went for the door swinging it open. She like the rest of us was none to thrilled about our guest.

" You are not staying here Tasha" she growled out.

See the last time we saw Tasha was right after Dimitri and I had come out as a couple. She didn't take the news well. In fact at one point she threatened to take me out of the picture and effectively ruining her long term friendship with Dimitri and her relationship with Christian.

In the end she plead her case to us all saying she had received help and was better. I didn't believe her for a second. It seems Adrian, Eddie, and Dimitri didn't either. But Lissa always trying to see the good in people believed her. And of course Christian tried to believe her because she was family, really his only family.

" Hey Dimka" Tasha said

Dimitri gave her a curt nod and left the room. I went after him as Liss was telling her about the party and our shopping trip tomorrow, which what a wonderful surprise Tasha was coming on. This Halloween party is looking worse by the second now. It didn't take me long to get what was wrong out of Dimitri, and I was right he definitely didn't trust Tasha was better. He really didn't like it when I spilled what she had said when I had opened the door. We climbed into bed for the night. Tomorrow would be bad enough without me falling asleep in class.

Well somehow I'd managed to make it through the school day and we were now headed to some party store. Walking inside my spirits lifted, the place was full of costumes. We spent forever trying costumes out for Lissa. She wanted to look cute not slutty. We finally decided on a princess costume for her, and she picked out a prince costume for Christian. We had told the boys we would pick out their costumes to match ours. Since Celeste and Tasha were single they had to pick between Adrian and Mikhail. We put their names in a hat and let the boys draw. Adrian drew Celeste leaving poor Mikhail with the beast. I guess we could always dress him up as Belle. Mia was coming tomorrow since our fall break started today, and apparently she had bought hers and Eddie's outfits a month ago hoping we would all do something fun.

I found Dimitri a modest Doctor costume so I would be going as a naughty nurse. I wonder if I would need to get his heart pumping again after he see's this. Celeste picked this sexy witch costume so I guess Adrian would be a warlock. He would most likely be too drunk to care what he wore. And if having to go with Tasha wasn't already bad enough, she picked out a Dracula costume for Mikhail because she wanted to be a sexy Vampire. Celeste and I both shuddered at the thought of it. Lissa trying to be a good person told her it would be cute, but through the bond I could tell she thought it was a bad idea. Paying for our stuff we headed home before it could get dark. We hadn't seen any strigoi since we had been here, but that didn't mean I wanted to push our luck. The whole way back we talked about how exciting this party was going to be, I was getting excited again.

I opened my eyes to the sunlight streaming in and jumped up causing Dimitri to wake up grabbing his stake. I giggled when he placed it back on the bedside table realizing there was no danger, just his crazy girlfriend.

" Roza what are you so excited about?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

" It's party day Comrade." I said in a no shit tone.

He smiled and nodded pulling me back down beside him. I rolled over straddling his hips, I could feel how hard he was already. I loved our quiet mornings where we didn't have to rush any thing before school. I looked over at the clock to see we probably had about thirty minutes before anyone started beating on our door wondering where we were. I leaned down to kiss him. As he wrapped his hand in my hair I ground my hips against his hard erection. He let out a moan into our kiss. By this point I was so wet and ready for him, so when he broke the kiss to kiss along my jaw making me moan I told him what I wanted.

" Comrade I want you to fuck me fast and hard."

he growled flipping me over. It's a good thing we had slept naked last night because taking clothes off would have taken way too long. He brought his hand down my side and hip as he took one of my nipples into his mouth slightly biting down. I moaned out and only proved to become louder as he slid two fingers into my dripping core. He pumped in and out a few times before removing them and replacing them with his hard cock. He looked me in the eyes seeing that I was ready for him, he slammed into me making me scream out. I loved when we had rough sex. And Dimitri didn't disappoint, he pounded into me so hard I thought the bed would break beneath us. It didn't take long for both of us to climax. It was amazing.

We got into the shower when we'd finished and got ready for breakfast. Walking downstairs I saw everyone was already at the table. Adrian was smirking and Christian out right laughed at us.

" Have you two had a good morning?" He said between laughs. Dimitri blushed but you know me always a smart ass.

" We had a great morning!" I retorted

" Oh we know, we heard" Adrian laughed out

My poor Comrade was beet red by this point and I saw Eddie shudder. Tasha just looked pissed. And Liss, love her was wondering why Christian never made her scream like that. I giggled a little giving her a sideways glance, she blushed and said stupid bond through the bond making me laugh harder.

" What's so funny Hathaway?" Christian asked.

" Oh nothing just the look on all your faces."

Liss thanked me through the bond again feeling embarrassed. We finished eating pretty quickly and the Moroi had a feeder come by. When they were done Celeste, Mia, Tasha, Lissa, and I went upstairs to get ready. We were going to pamper ourselves, Lissa's idea. We left the guys costumes in mine and Dimitri's room so they could get ready. It took all day but we looked hot. I had to admit even Tasha looked pretty. We came downstairs and the boys were dressed and all ready to go.

Dimitri looked freaking sexy. Maybe he would have to restart my heart instead of the other way around. His jaw dropped as he walked towards me.

" Roza are you trying to get someone killed at this party?" he whisper yelled. I had to stifle a laugh at his protectiveness.

" No Comrade there is only one man for me and that's you! Plus have you looked in a mirror, I may have to beat every bitch off you tonight!" There were a few groans everyone knew I would do it too.

" OK no fighting tonight! Everyone got it?" Mikhail said

We all nodded our agreement although I did it reluctantly. As we were walking out the door I noticed Adrian walk up beside me, and I just knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth was more then likely going to be perverted. But maybe I could get a god laugh out of it.

" Hey Little Dhampire, I was just wondering where you and Celeste hid your stakes in those outfits?"

This caused everyone to stop their walk to the car, waiting for me to murder the Moroi idiot beside me. But I was in a damn good mood so I'd let this one slide tonight. I smiled at him as he visibly gulped not knowing if my temper would get the best of me or not.

" Wouldn't you like to know Adrian!"

Celeste high fived me and everyone else let their breath go, until Tasha spoke up that is.

" Actually I was wondering the same thing with an outfit as small as yours."

Ok my limit was about to be pushed so I just walked past her getting into the driver's seat. No one questioned me and Dimitri did all the safety checks before getting in. I pulled out of the garage and drove towards campus.

Pulling up down the road from the house, the party was in full swing. They had black lights up everywhere and had really gone all out with the Halloween decorations. There were spider webs, fake cemeteries, various body parts coming from the ground it was awesome. My spirits were lifted yet again. Mikhail and Eddie took the front, Celeste in the middle with the Moroi, and Dimitri and I in the back. Getting up to the front door the guy standing there raked his eyes over all of us girls, but quickly looked at the guys and knowing a threat when he saw one. But he looked at Tasha again specifically her marred face. Just when I thought he would be smart, he opened his mouth.

" What the fuck happened to your face chick?"

Even I felt bad when I saw the hurt in her eyes. She had been messed up pretty badly while saving Christians life. Christian spoke up before I could.

" Dude it's make up she's a vamp that got into a fight with a werewolf." he watched too much twilight with Lissa.

The guy grinned saying that was awesome and let us in. When we walked inside they were playing Closer by the chainsmokers. Me and Lissa loved this song so we all went to dance. They played song after song and we just kept dancing. It was around 10:30 when we all decided we needed water before we dropped. I was seriously amazed that my Russian could keep up with me and could dance really well. I also felt what our dancing was doing to his manhood. And I really couldn't wait to get home and have him rip this flimsy costume off of me, so we could play doctor.

We danced a few more hours when I looked around and noticed Tasha wasn't with our group anymore. I stopped dancing and looked around the area we were in. How did I not notice her leave? My stomach didn't feel bad so thankfully no strigoi were near here. Everyone in our group noticed me looking around. I noticed Mikhail was gone too. Where the hell had he gone?

" Comrade where is Tasha and Mikhail?" I asked

He did a sweep of the room with his eyes, him being taller then me could see better. he apparently saw something telling Eddie, Celeste, and I to stay with the Moroi, and he walked through the crowd. I didn't feel so bad when I realized no one else had noticed they weren't with us. Eddie, Celeste, and I took up a protective stance around Lissa, Christian, Adrian, and Mia.

" What's going on Rose?" Lissa said through the bond sounding nervous.

" Nothing I just didn't see Tasha or Mikhail but my stomach feels fine so no strigoi." I said as loud as I could without being overheard.

She nodded knowing I would never let anything happen to her or the others. I saw Dimitri and Mikhail coming back towards us but still no Tasha. Where the hell was she? I did not like this at all, even Christian knew something was up with his Aunt not being here.

" Where is Tasha?"

I asked the two of them trying not to scream over the music, I didn't want other people to overhear. I was becoming frantic now, this was all we needed. Dimitri motioned us outside. On the way out I noticed the rude guy was gone, probably drunk and passed out somewhere. We walked down the road a bit where we wouldn't be overheard by anyone. Mikhail looked around uneasily. Something was off and not because we were standing in the middle of a makeshift graveyard with spooky ass decorations.

" Guys I cant remember where Tasha went. I don't even know how I got to the bathroom."

Mikhail stated meaning he had been compelled. Why would she do that? I put my blocks down and called on Mason. He immediately appeared in front of me.

" Can you tell me if there are any strigoi in the area?" I asked him

He nodded his head, I was about to ask him another question when we heard this blood curdling scream from down the street. I pulled my walls back up and my stomach turned. We were running toward at least one strigoi. When we turned the corner the sight in front of us had my blood run cold, this had to be some kind of prank. But looking around I wasn't the only one shocked, everyone looked exactly how I felt.

" Aunt Tasha is this some kind of joke?" Christian asked.

The girl who had screamed went to run but Tasha snapped her neck and tossed her next to another body. Upon a closer look I could see it was the boy who had said something about her scar. I guess that was the price she thought he should pay. Offend a psychotic Moroi and they'll use you to turn strigoi. A little harsh if you ask me. She must have just used him to turn because I didn't feel nauseous until that girl screamed. We had to think fast now, there were four Moroi here.

" Christian put a ring of fire around you all" I yelled out at him. I would not have their lives put in danger. " Celeste, Eddie, Mikhail stay with them." They nodded.

" Oh Rose honey I didn't do this to hurt them. I did it to finally take you out and Dimka and I can finally be happy." she said coldly.

Wow this Halloween was turning out like last Christmas. CRAZY. I stepped towards her, I wanted to make sure she heard every word I had to say.

" Tasha when are you going to get it through your head? Dimitri doesn't want you. He never has. But hey I'll give you props at least you got the right holiday to act like a crazy spooky stalker."

This proved to piss her off as she lunged for me Christian threw a line of fire up between me and her, but not before she knocked my stake behind me while screaming where she had touched it. I watched as Dimitri went towards her.

" I'll come with you Tasha, just don't hurt any of them."

She smirked at me. What the hell was he doing? Was this some kind of prank, if it was it wasn't funny. He opened his arms to her and she rushed to him. When he had her in his arms I felt something roll into my foot. I looked down to see my stake. Looking behind me I saw Christian nod his head even though there was so much pain in his eyes.

Everything happened so fast after that. The line of fire was gone the second I picked up the stake. Dimitri held a squirming screaming Tasha with her chest exposed. I guess they had somehow planned this while I was talking to her. I ran at her struggling form.

" Dimka what are you doing?" she screamed, my stake was ready. She looked at me anger written all over her face.

" Trick or Treat Bitch" I said as I plunged my stake through her heart.

It was over. Talk about a fucked up scary Halloween party. None of us would ever forget this one, that's for sure. Celeste was on the phone with the local alchemists while I caught my breath. When she got off we waited next to the bodies till they got here.

" I'm sorry Christian" It was all I could say.

He nodded and we stayed silent till two people in suits showed up. Knowing they were the alchemists we went back to the car and drove home. i looked at Mikhail when we walked in the house.

" Sorry for fighting tonight"

Christian was surprisingly the first one that laughed. Everyone else started after him. Although we all knew this was killing him, that someone else in his family willingly turned.

" Seriously though I don't think we should go to any more parties" Dimitri said

This caused another round of laughter. Maybe next year we can just get some candy from the store and watch Hocus Pocus...


	4. A Halloween to Remember!

**Title:** A Halloween to remember!

 **Author:** princesslara99

 **Background:** AU. Dimitri is a royal moroi and Rose is his girlfriend. They are currently seniors at St. Vladimir's and it is Dimitri's first Halloween with Rose. Everything seems perfect in the beginning – a typical high school Halloween party, but suddenly the air changes. A danger impending springs up out of nowhere! Come read and find out how Rose and gang deal the situation. This one shot runs parallel to my story – _In the Highschool_ , but could be a standalone work too. Quick thank you to my sister for brushing up the last of the details.

* * *

The sun was low on the horizon, casting its lively yellow light and illuminating the gothic structure of St. Vladimir's academy, making it seem otherworldly to any oblivious passerby. It was a wonder how the place had evaded human interactions for so long!

It was the beginning of a normal day for the morois and the dhampirs (the good vampires and their fierce protectors) who resided the place.

And this fine day found Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, the last of the Dragomir line, in her best friend's room.

"Hey Rose, the Halloween party's next week!" She bounced on her bed, excitement flooding through her petite form in waves.

Rose tried to raise her eyebrows at her over – excited friend, "So?" She liked Halloween alright, but it was nothing compared to the elation Lissa felt at its mere mention. It was her favorite time of the year – except for Thanksgiving that is.

"Oh don't go 'so' on me!" Lissa huffed. Rose rolled her eyes and went back to the damned homework she was trying to complete in the mean time. All that calculus stuff was frying her brain away. _Who needs to use that stuff in daily_ _life anyway? Certainly not her!_

"It is going to be so much fun this time!" Lissa continued to gush, oblivious to her friend's growing irritation on the mathematics notebook placed in front of her.

"Oh really? What's going to be so different?"

"Come on! This will be your first Halloween with Dimitri!"

At the mention of his name, Rose paused. She couldn't believe her heart skipped a beat just on the mention of his name. His goddamned beautiful name! Dimitri – her boyfriend, the first person she was in love with. Lissa was right, this year it would be different. Better. Best.

"So? Have you decided what you'll go as?" Lissa interrupted her thoughts the next second and Rose finally shut her notebook giving up the pretense of doing the work.

But before she could speak, Lissa cut her off, "Oh! I know what you should go as!"

"What?"

"A lingerie model!"

"As if!" Rose scoffed and a wide grin graced her lips as she thought of their principal, Kirova's reaction if she turned up as a La Perla model to the school's Halloween party!

"No really! You'll knock his socks off!" Lissa giggled. Rose rolled her eyes at her. She knew better than to reply to that statement.

"What are you going as?" She asked instead, diverting the attention back to Lissa.

"That's a surprise! But I'll give you a hint; Christian and I are going as a famous couple!"

"Let me guess …uhm… Cinderella and Prince Charming?"

The scowl in Lissa's face suggested that Rose had guessed very correctly. "Oh Liss!" Rose laughed. "Christian as Prince Charming, this could be fun!"

* * *

"Rose!" Lissa's voice carried throughout the hallway as she banged the door of her best friend's dormitory. "Are you done yet?!"

"Your highness!" Christian's voice followed Lissa's, as he kicked the door. "Your peasants are waiting. Grace us with your presence!"

"Shut up, Christian." Dimitri rolled his eyes at the sarcasm of his best friend. "Take your time, Roza. I'll be here." he called out, adoration lacing his accented voice.

"You spoil her, Mitya!" Christian snorted, fixing his coat/ cape jacket. It was St. Vladimir's Halloween night and the three friends were standing at the corridors of the female dhampir dorms, waiting for Rose to make an appearance, so that they could join the party raging downstairs.

"So what?" Dimitri quipped, straightening his hat. "She deserves to be spoiled."

"Whatev…." Christian's witty remark was cut off, as the handle of the door clicked and Rose appeared.

"You look beautiful, milaya." Dimitri breathed as he saw her. Perfection. The only word that registered his mind, his Roza was the epitome of perfection! And he was giddy on the thought that he'll be celebrating his first Halloween with her! He kissed the top of her nose in affection.

"He's right Rose," Lissa smiled, showing all her pearly whites. She and Christian were dressed as Cinderella and Prince Charming, as mentioned earlier.

Lissa looked elegant in her blue and white gown. It was the typical Cinderella gown you find on eBay, but the quality was far better. She had paired it up with diamond chandelier earrings and a silver choker necklace. The overall effect was amazing!

While Lissa rocked her 'princess look', Christian looked ridiculous in his Prince Charming outfit. "Oh my god Christian!" Rose laughed as she took in his attire, light blue smock shirt that was buttoned up to his collar. He had donned a pair of crème colored square tail jacket which was embroidered with gold threads, "Words escape me at this moment!"

"At least I look better than you!" he scoffed, clearly uncomfortable in wearing anything but black as he adjusted the sleeve of his smock shirt. "And I didn't take three hours to do my make up but still look awful."

"Don't listen to him." Dimitri clicked his tongue. "You look breathtaking. Just like a goddess." She was wearing a white long satin dress, the top tied up on her shoulders leaving her arms bare. A gold colored sash was wrapped right around her waist and she had braided her hair on the top of her head with few tendrils escaping. She looked just what she had aimed for – a Greek goddess.

"You look handsome as well, cowboy!" Rose said straightening the lapel of his duster, giving him a shy smile. Nevertheless to say, he looked devilishly handsome! Dimitri smiled down at her and bent to capture her lips in a sweet kiss.

"Are you guys done admiring each other?" Christian whined. "Can we go to the party now?"

The three of them rolled their eyes at him but complied. In no time, they found themselves at the entrance of the gymnasium – the venue of the Halloween party.

"Let's go!" Lissa squealed.

* * *

The school authorities and the students in –charge had clearly put up a lot of effort to give the hallway a scary dungeon look. The lights were dim with occasional flashes of reds and greens. Halloween themed music was blaring out of the speakers. There were fake cobwebs and slime and everything to give the place a spooky look.

They moved further inside, it was the same but the walls had posters everywhere – funny Halloween quotations and jokes. And though it would have been difficult for normal eyes, but to their enhanced senses, it was no biggie to see everything clearly.

Rose read one of them out loud, "Those who believe in telekinetics raise my hand."

"Where do they come up with stuff like that?" Lissa laughed.

"Hey!" Dimitri grinned. "Check this one out. 'Ghosts, like ladies, never speak till spoken to.'"

Rose and Christian bellowed out full belly laughter, joined by Dimitri and Lissa.

"Oh I'm enjoying this tonight! It's been so long!" Rose said excitement clear in her voice.

"You're right. I love this!" Lissa agreed.

"Hey! There's more!" Christian pulled them with him to the next poster.

' _Where there is no imagination there is no horror.'_

' _If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.'_

' _We live in a Newtonian world of Einsteinian physics ruled by Frankenstein logic.'_

There was some more laughing session as they studied the posters, after which the quartet moved to the table to get some punch.

"Eeww! This looks like blood!" Rose scrunched up her nose, eyeing the punch warily.

"It's supposed to look like one, deity." Christian smirked.

"It's watermelon punch. And yours isn't spiked. Drink up." Dimitri instructed. He was enjoying the evening too. Though Halloween was still not his favourite sport, but he was happy spending time with Rose and his friends.

"Let's go mingle." Rose suggested as they made their way through the crowd. In one of the storage rooms, they'd set up a large barrel of water to give the impression of a fake pool, a large tangle of fake cobwebs complete with very realistic looking spiders.

The teachers chaperoning were dressed as various characters as well. Rose could see Mr. Nagy dressed as batman and Ms. Meissner as Priscilla Presley. Alberta was dressed in her formal black and whites, clearing choosing to stay out of the hoopla for kids. Rose was shocked to see Kirova dressed as Marilyn Monroe! Talk about surprises!

"Hey look at Jesse!" Lissa said pointing in his general direction. He was swarmed by a group of girls who were hanging around him like a bad smell. He had dressed as James Dean and much to Rose's dismay; he pulled the look off quite well. He had a beautiful face no doubt; too bad he was an asshole!

Rose's eyes again wandered back to Dimitri. He had put little to no effort in his appearance. The duster he regularly wore was still resting on his shoulders. He had adorned a worn out cowboy hat and had completed his look off with combat boots and cowboy belt. He was handsome without effort in all his six – foot – seven – inches glory! She couldn't believe her luck that this beautiful man was with her!

"You're staring," he said quietly with an amused look in his face.

"So? It's not every day I see such a pretty cowboy," Rose teased taking a sip of her drink. "So let me feed on my dirty thoughts, comrade."

Dimitri scrunched his nose up, "I don't think I was going for 'pretty'. It was more along the adjectives like – hot, heart throbbing sex on legs. And for the dirty thoughts, you're free to share them with me – you never know when they turn into reality." He smirked.

"Oh comrade! We'll get to that later tonight. I might have a surprise for you..." Rose giggled as the smirk was wiped off his face, hunger replacing them in an instant.

"Later." She mouthed before smiling smugly at the ability to render him speechless.

"Let's go dance!" She said pulling Dimitri with her to the dance floor. The Knife – 'Silent Shout,' was blaring out as they danced with Dimitri's arms wrapped around her waist.

"Are you enjoying Comrade?" Rose asked.

"More than I thought, I would." Dimitri replied smiling brightly at her.

"How did you celebrate Halloween in Russia?" she questioned moving with the rhythm. Oh! She loved the feel of the hard length of his body pressed against her!

"We didn't." He replied somewhat amused.

"What?!" Dimitri almost laughed at her dumbfounded expression.

"Back there in Russia, Halloween isn't a big deal." He explained.

"But how can't it be? It's Halloween for god's sake!"

Dimitri shrugged. It was just the way it was!

"Well I'm glad you're celebrating your first Halloween with me then!" Rose smiled intimately at her boyfriend. He grinned down at her catching her lips in an unexpected kiss. It lasted mere seconds but left Rose breathless.

"Best. Halloween. Ever!"

* * *

"Are you people enjoying the evening!"

A petite moroi boy from their year called out from the microphone that had been placed in the makeshift stage earlier. His name was Peter and by the looks of it, he was the in - charge to tonight's show!

A boisterous reply by the shouts and squeals of the students let him know that they were indeed enjoying the night.

"I can't hear you!" The crowd yelled more loudly, causing some of the teachers to stuff their ears.

"Now that's some response!" The boy, Peter joked. He was dressed as Dracula. "Now...we all know, as per the traditions, that we are supposed to tell each other scary ghost stories..." he whispered the last part, trying to sound spooked but the way the crowd laughed – it clearly lost its effect. It was funny though!

Some of the people raised their hands, willing to share ghost stories, calling out to Peter. Rose, Lissa, Dimitri and Christian were seated at the back, not paying much attention to the chaos. How could they? When they were wrapped around their respective partners, making out like there was no tomorrow!

All of a sudden, Rose felt a wave of nausea wash over her. Her stomach rolled, causing her to pull away from Dimitri's lips.

"Are you okay, milaya?" Dimitri asked, concern etching his features as he caressed her cheeks.

"Yeah...I...I don't know...I felt queasy..." Rose said, scrunching her nose up.

"Do you need to get out? Take a breather?" he asked her.

"No...I feel fine now." Rose lied. How embarrassing it was to have your date find out you were sick?!

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Kelly! Lovely." Peter's voice addressed a girl from the crowd. "Come up on the stage girl! Give her a big hand, people." he announced emanating a cheer from the crowd.

The girl, presumably Kelly, started with her story, "Rachel, from Northallerton, Yorkshire, England was an extremely old woman who had no family still living." The girl started.

"Her only companion and friend was a little brown dog, Fluffs, who went everywhere with her, with one exception. Fluffs loved the open fireplace in winter, and after the old woman went to bed he would sometimes go and lie in the hearth in front of the warm coals. Usually though, the dog slept at the very edge of the bed on a throw rug." She took a deep breath, looking around to see that everyone was paying attention at her. Even Rose and Dimitri were intrigued as they quit their kissing to listen to her.

"Rachel wouldn't allow the dog on the bed with her, but if she became frightened or had a nightmare, she would put her hand down to the little brown dog and he would lick it reassuringly.

"One dark night Rachel was reading her newspaper just before going to sleep. She shivered and pulled the bedclothes up around her as she read that a mental patient had wandered off from the nearby Broadmoor asylum. No one knew if the patient was dangerous or not; he was a suspect in the murders of several women who had lived alone.

"Rachel turned out the lights and tried to sleep, but she was frightened, and kept thinking of the news report; she tossed and turned fitfully.

"Finally, she reached down to where the little brown dog slept. Sure enough, a warm, wet tongue began to lick her hand. The woman felt reassured and safe, and left her hand dangling off the bed as she turned and settled in comfortably. She opened her eyes for a moment and looked through the open door into the living room.

"There in front of the fireplace, sat Fluffs, gazing at the coals and wagging his tail.

Down beside the bed, something was still licking her hand."

"wooohoooo..." the crowd cheered with scary voices but applauded as the girl left the stage.

"That was spooky, wasn't it?" Peter was back on the stage. "I see our Prince Charming sweating it. Are you okay, Christian?" He asked.

Christian looked completely disinterested as he flipped him a bird. Students hooted and applauded at his reaction. One more story followed Kelly's and was met with a high criticism.

"Boooo! That was a bad one, Kevin!" Peter said out loud in the microphone as the moroi boy staggered down the stairs after delivering his version of ghost and ghoul story.

"Enough of the children's Halloween stories now... Let's do something else...Let's discuss something...more adult!" Peter's timbre had changed considerably and the hiss that continued his speech was audible. The crowd broke on titters as they cheered him, every one thinking of it as one of his attempts to sound scarier. Everyone but Rose.

Her stomach rolled some more, making her hands fly towards her mouth as she tried to suppress the bile rising in her throat.

"Roza!" Dimitri shifted her so she could lean against him. "Did you eat something bad?"

"Not that I remember..." Rose said trying to take deep breaths.

Are you alright? Lissa's concerned voice in her mind indicated that she had her attention now.

"I'm fine Liss," Rose replied. "Queasy...but fine."

A loud scream pierced through the gym halls, startling everyone. Guardians instantly grabbed their stake, looking around frantically to discern the source of the sound.

"Scared, aren't we?" Peter's cold chuckle attracted the attention of the crowd back to him. "What's a good Halloween if you can't scare your friends, right?" Some of the students broke into a nervous chuckle as they realized this was a prank.

People hadn't even completely calmed down when the lights of the gym suddenly went out. Screams and gasps filled the air at the sudden invasion of light.

Rose could feel Lissa's anxiety flow through the bond and tried the best to calm her down. "It's okay Liss. I'm right here. It's just a prank. Calm down." The catch was that as much as Rose wanted to believe it, she wasn't sure of her own words right now. An eerie feeling gripped her. Something was wrong. So very wrong!

"Darkness. A funny thing isn't it?" Peter's voice had an added chill to it. "When everything around us just disappears... darkness makes us aware, create anticipation, like right now? Aren't you guys out of your mind right now guessing what's going to happen next?" he added in a rush whisper.

"This is getting out of hand, Peter." Alberta's voice was stern even though no one could see her, they knew she was serious. "Enough of the prank now, cut it out!"

"Cut it out, Guardian Petrov?" Peter's smirk was clear in his voice. Dimitri tightened his hands around Rose's waist. He didn't want to admit, but he was spooked. Big time.

"Well, I imagined the evening turning out a bit differently...You all want to know what I had planned?." No one spoke. It was calm, but not the peaceful one. It was more like the calm before a storm. Adrenaline was running through everyone's veins. Anticipation coiled at the bottom of their stomach. Nothing but the collective gasp of fastened breaths could be heard. They waited for something. Anything to happen, anytime now!

"This!" Peter hissed and suddenly there was a spot light on the stage. People squinted their eyes at the sudden assault of light. It was like everything and everyone was frozen in their place. The only thing that had changed was where Peter stood alone in the stage when the lights had died down earlier, now with him, stood a terrified Kelly.

"Cut it out, Guardian Petrov?" He taunted. And Rose couldn't believe she missed that – his appearance. His skin was pale – paler than any other moroi standing there. And now that she had seen it – the red in his eyes were hard to miss. He was no longer their classmate and friend for he had joined the living dead. Peter was unmistakably a Strigoi.

"No...I can't cut it...But I can do something better. I can bite." And before the guardians in the room could react, his fangs were deep in Kelly's jugular, draining her blood.

Chaos broke out all of a sudden as screams of horror filled the room and the crowd of panicked students started to run, trying to find the nearest exit. The guardians sprang into action, two of them jumped up in the stage to rescue the poor girl when Peter ripped her away from himself roughly, tossing her on the floor, like a rag doll.

"Everybody! Clear the room!" Alberta shouted at the top of her lungs, "Russell, Donovan! Escort the Princess out. Stay with her."

"Not so fast Petrov!" Peter growled. "You think we would let you ruin our plans, wash all our efforts? Huh? Princess is the prize! Princess Vasilisa Sabina Rhea Dragomir, the last of the Dragomir line killed in the crossfire of the strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's academy! How does that sound huh?"

Rose felt Lissa freeze as soon as the words were out of his mouth. A thousand thoughts run through her mind and yet she felt frozen, not being able to put a finger on any.

"Roza, Lissa. Come on, let's move!" Dimitri hissed coming to step in front of them, Christian doing the same. Rose wanted to yell at them to move out of the way and stay behind her, but Lissa stopped her.

"Rose?" A whimper escapes her lips. She didn't want to die. No. She didn't. But she also didn't want anyone else to die because of her. Talk about dilemma!

"Don't panic!" Rose hissed. "We're going to get you out of here safely. Stay calm and do as you're told. Do you hear me?"

Lissa nodded her head frantically, tears pooling in her eyes.

"The doors locked!" one of the guardians yelled. "We can't move out!"

Peter's cackle broke through the anarchy, as he yelled on the top of his lungs, "Strigoi brothers and sisters! Attack!"

Rose hadn't even digested his words properly, when out of nowhere, four strigoi's jumped out from the dark corners of the room, moving in their lightening fast speed towards her. Or more specifically - towards Lissa.

Two of them were tackled into the ground by Alberta and three other guardians while two were still fighting Peter. Rose jumped in front of Dimitri, pushing him back as a strigoi approached him, throwing a punch in his direction.

"Stay back!" Rose growled, as she kicked the strigoi in the gut, hardly making him flinch.

"Rose!" Lissa yelled. Dimitri and Christian caught her just in time she was about to make a run. They covered her protectively along with the guardians Alberta had assigned to Lissa. "Stay back Princess!" one of the guardians growled as he took his position in front of her.

"Dhampir!" The strigoi snarled. Rose lunged switching on offensive, throwing a couple of kicks in his lower middle portion to take him down. It was clear that the strigoi was a moroi in his previous life for he had no real technique to own the fight and was relying totally on his unnatural strength and reflexes. He went down but only after a second was back up throwing his full body weight at Rose, making her trip. But luckily, she caught the pillar nearby to steady herself before launching again at him.

"Rose!" Alberta yelled, pulling out her spare stake and throwing it at her. Rose caught it with practiced efficiency. Three of the five moroi were dead, along with Peter. Three down. Two more to go.

The motivation pushed Rose as she turned around, landing a deadly roundhouse kick on the strigois jaw, making him stumble over on the ground.

"You bitch!" he snarled, baring his fangs at her. Rose leaped upon him, scratching his cheek with her silver. He growled inhumanly in pain and tried to jerk her off his torso, but Rose pinned him back down with her body weight, trying to get that stake through his heart. The bastard wasn't making things easy. He twisted his body, trying to get her weight off him. "Get off me you stupid bitch!" he yelled. "Or else I swear…."

Rose didn't hear the ending of his sentence as in a fraction of second; her stake was buried clean in his chest through his heart. He was dead.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a flash of light as Christian lit up the last strigoi's head, while Guardian Russell drove a stake through his heart.

"Check all the corners; make sure that these were the last of it." Alberta barked cradling her injured hand. The students and the teachers were ushered out quickly after the quick check of the perimeter.

"The dangers averted!" She announced after a few minutes, visible sagging in relief.

* * *

"How's she?" Christian inquired, settling himself down on the small chair beside the bed on which his Lissa was lying. She had passed out as soon as he had incinerated the last strigoi.

"She's absolutely fine. Just passed out from exertion." the kind nurse replied. "She'll be up any second now."

Rose burst through the door at the same instant, her searching eyes land on Lissa lying on the infirmary bed, unconscious. Dimitri was just steps behind her.

"Oh Liss!" Rose sighed.

"She's fine." Christian said repeating the nurse's words. Rose shook her head at him before flopping down on the chair in the corner of the room.

"How had Peter played it out?" Christian asked after a long stretch of silence.

Dimitri cleared his throat, "He didn't." At Christian's raised eyebrows, he continued, "The strigoi penetrated the ward line with the help of a human, a body was found near the ward line." he explained. "On their move further, they encountered Peter who was getting ready for tonight's show. It was their plan to get an inside man, they turned him."

"And the rest was just as it was…."

"You should go and rest. I'll stay with her." Christian announced before ushering both of them outside.

* * *

Dimitri had his arms around Rose as soon as they stepped outside in the chill of the night. He looked down at her for a few moments before placing his lips firmly over hers, capturing her lips in a desperate kiss.

"Comrade…."Rose sighed snuggling closer to him.

"I was scared today." he admitted.

"I was too." Rose confessed.

"I love you Roza!"

"I love you too!" Rose sighed. "Still the best Halloween ever?"

"Yep. It was definitely a Halloween to remember!"

* * *

 **A/N: The story and the quotations used in the story are the result of Google search.**


	5. Pumpkins, Lanterns and Spirits

**Title:** Pumpkins, Lanterns and Spirits

 **Author:** katnipsc

 **Background:** The members of the gang celebrating Halloween throughout the years.

* * *

"AaaaaaaaaaHhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Guaaaardian Smiiiiiiiiiith, heeelp me!"

Said Jessie as he ran towards the matrons desk.

 ** _Two hours ago..._**

Aunt Tasha sent me to the academy against my will, I was viewed as a traitor-to-be, at the court. She had said that it will be better here and people would treat me fairly.

I've only been here for a month and its bad enough.

Transferring in the middle of the academic year was odd and then my history didn't help in cases other than making me an outcast, or that is what it feels like.

Anybody seldom speaks to me, they are all wary, rude and ungrateful. No one really seems to notice my presence. Its almost as if I am a ghost floating from a place to the other. So, that is what I decided to be today. I guess the costume would be the only one suitable other than that of ' the Count Dracula'.

Smiling, I set to work, choosing the dull white bedsheet to be a fair material to begin with.

An hour later I stood in front of the mirror, contemplating about my appearance, and wondering if I would be able to win the' Junior's Halloween Costume Competition' .

The bedsheet had been a great material to draw on, the mouth resembled a big black 'o', the round black eyes had small holes to help me see through them , and the sheet covered me from head to toe. I finally concluded that I could only be sure of how good a job I had done, if I only succeeded in scaring someone away, since that is what ghosts did.

Hiding behind the pillar in the decorated corridor, I waited for my victim, and minutes later, heard someone hurrying down the passage, towards me.

Forming a controlled flame under the sheet, I stepped out from behind the pillar, speaking gravely,

"ooooooooooohhhhh!"

Only to see Jessie stop in his tracks , turn paler, stutter something incoherent and then, flee, calling for help, assuring me that my hard work had paid off.

* * *

"Mia, its your turn, truth or dare?"

Asked Charlotte.

She looked cute in the fairy outfit, her parents had gifted her this Halloween.

"Mia, pick one!"

She said, breaking the silence.

"I choose dare!"

I replied.

Regretting the words as soon as they were out of my mouth.

"Three years together at the academy and finally here we have Mia, attempting a dare!"

Said Charlotte with a grand flourish!

"I'll suggest...I'll say..."

Said Emily bouncing up and down with excitement.

Everyone agreed to her proposal and I was given the task of etching an 'M', on the tree that stood approximately in the middle of the cemetery beside the academy building.

I couldn't ignore or turn down anything they said, since I had to remain in their good books, it would help Mama and Papa in their jobs. Thus, I nodded agreeing and left.

The cemetery has always creepy to me, the place has a vibe that warns others to keep away.

I had always kept my distance , until today, and yet am terribly afraid, given the fact that it is the Halloween today.

The eerieness adds to my nervousness as I look for the tree in the cemetery, its quiet, except the occasional hooting of an owl, the moonlight helps me find my way and at a distance, I see a figure, beckoning to me.

Approaching near the figure, I realised that I knew her, she was Guardian McCarthy. Last year she had been reallocated to court duties, and she had probably arrived to strengthen the security at academy while some royal Morois visited.

"What are you doing here child?"

She asked.

"Lost my way Guardian McCarthy!

I was with my friends at the festival but somehow ended up here. Would you please help me return? "

I replied, playing innocent.

"So, you know me?"

She asked with an amused smile.

"Yes, I do, I saw you at the academy."

I replied chirpily.

"Good, follow me child, lets go back."

She stated happily, gesturing me to follow her, as she lead me towards the academy, when the campus came in sight, she stopped.

"Go ahead child, return to the academy and be careful from now onwards."

She offered politely.

"Won't you come with me, or to the festival?"

I asked, knowing well that I really shouldn't have mentioned it, since it wasn't my place to speak , but couldn't help it, I had admired her for a long time and she had been nothing but polite so far.

"No child, I am still on duty."

She said, urging me to return.

"Did you do it."

Emily asked, as soon as I entered the room.

"Nope."

I replied, dejected.

"But. Why?"

She whined.

"You remember Guardian McCarthy? She caught me.

So, I pretended to be lost, and she lead me back to the academy grounds."

I stated flatly.

"Mia, accept the fact that you freaked out. Its not possible that Guardian McCarthy of all people, lead you back."

Said Charlotte.

"I'm not. She did. Why would you think that I'll lie?"

I asked, offended at being called a liar.

"Because, the cemetery lies outside the wards, and thus has no Guardians patrolling it, and the fact that Guardian McCarthy died, in a Strigoi attack, just outside the court grounds, a few months ago."

Supplied Emily, in her as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Not helping my situation.

" How can you be so sure?"

I asked, the quiver in my voice signified my nervousness.

"My mother was one of the victims."

She stated, leaving no place for arguments.

As the reality set in, I couldn't really believe all that had happened. I couldn't decide how to react, should I be happy, sad, afraid, confused, horrified?

Never would I return to the cemetery grounds nor would I forget tonight, was all I could conclude.

* * *

"Boys, this is an important moment!"

She said, empathizing on the last two words.

"Finally, after waiting for the past four years, we are now eligible to participate in the scavenger hunt, so I want to set the bar high even for the seniors, we are gonna win it, alright?"

She said, ending her speech in the form of a question.

" But Rose we've already been participating every year. "

I said, confused.

" Yes, but that was some excellent example of bending the rules, by me Eddie. This time we are eligible. Officially allowed to participate."

She stated enthusiastically.

"Don't you think that its bad for us, since they'll even be keeping an eye on us?"

I questioned.

"And yes, don't you remember, this hunt is the greatest annual , unofficial, sort of illegal organized activity at the academy. "

Supplied Mason, grinning.

"You really aren't helping Ashford."

Said Rose grinning and punching Mason lightly on his arm, before adding,

"Answer me boys, are we ready?"

"Yes."

We replied in unison, as we set out to collect the required items on the list, our plan was simple, collect the easily available items first and look for the scoring ones later.

I really hadn't been in a mood to participate this year, since the event had been preponed due to the arrival of queen Tatiana, in a few weeks for the inauguration of the new training section that was being added to the academy thus enhancing the training.

Halloween wasn't really fun since the next day was my birthday and no one ever remembered it. Not even Aunt Joanna.

I didn't hope for anything special, but I missed mom and dad on the day, since they had a habit of wishing me first, right at midnight. Their jesture was something that I recalled with much fondness and its loss left an aching hole in my heart.

I wasn't the only one at the academy with such a history but it hurt no less.

Rose and Mason were the pillars of my current life and they had had no trouble convincing me to join them.

When the hunt ended, we were declared the winner. The joy was short lived since the day came to an end and melancholy threatened to take over me.

I headed back to my dorm room hoping to sleep the gloom away, but something was different, the door to my room was open and it alarmed me, hoping for the best, I stepped into the room, it was dark and no sooner had I switched on the lights, Rose and Mason started singing...

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Eddie! Happy birthday to you! May..."

They sat on my unmade bed clapping like seals, trying to hide something behind them. The picture was almost comical but the moment was heart touching!

My friends for only a year and not only did they remember my birthday, but also wished me. And this very gesture of theirs made them special to me.

While I stood like a fool staring at them, utterly surprised, they moved apart to reveal a board game set that I had so longed for not over a month ago.

"How did you do it? ... Its for... me?... How.? ... Why?... Nice!... You guys!..."

I was at a loss of words.

"Yup, yours, the scavenger hunt."

They replied, grinning like cheshire cats!

And to say the least it was by far the best (belated) Halloween I had ever had.

* * *

We had been taught that living outside the wards was extremely dangerous, a constant threat to our lives, since we never knew of all that might happen next.

It even endangered the secrecy of our kind, so we moroi tended to live together, generally at the court, in colonies or at the academies.

The day Rose and I had fled from the academy, with very meagre of our belongings, we had given little thought to how things would play out, we were scared, but even desperate, it was clear in Roses eyes as she had urged me to hurry up and head away.

I trusted her with my life and so now we were here, at Regina's house nearly a year after our sudden disappearance from the academy, celebrating Halloween. We moved quickly from place to place, from town to town, city to city, she made the plan to move and ensured my security, while I ensured that there remained no trail of our presence, ever. Compulsion, was all I could help us with.

Regina here, thought that we were childhood friends, and thus had invited us, I had convinced Rose to loosen a bit up, as we picked up our dresses from the rental shop, it had taken a while to dress up, but we looked cute together in our fairy outfits.

The party was being held in the garden behind Regina's house, and the place had been decorated beautifully with fairy lights, lanterns, fake ghosts and several more things. Out in the human world just for a year, I had seen several amazing things, that I had been missing while at the academy.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that this move on Rose's part had greatly helped me overcome the grief of losing mum, dad and Andre.

"Hey Lissa, Rose here join us."

Said Peter beckoning us towards a big group of people from the school.

Nearing them we realized it was a game.

Bobbing for apples.

Rose had the spark in her eyes that said that she would be acing the challenge. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than Rose smirked and headed into the crowd.

"Make space folks, the champion is here."

And like fish takes to water, Rose caught the apples, bobbing her head in and out of the water, winning the games, thus winning a cute brown teddy!

"Liss, this ones for you!"

She stated jovially handing me the teddy bear, her prize! Looking behind me, her eyes caught something and holding me by the shoulders , she turned me around,

"And there's the thing you are gonna enjoy."

She said, pointing towards the side where several people sat carving pumpkins.

We tasted various candies, the group went tick or treating, the costume competition that was held was interesting enough and we held the joint seconds, the grins were plastered on our faces all of the evening and we were giddy with excitement.

Our bubble burst when Shane fished out his camera and started snapping pictures and the first one was of me and Rose giggling, and then there were several more, his camera was of the kind that immediately printed the photographs.

It was an action enough to snap Rose into het Guardian mode, as she hounded him and snatched all the photographs from him.

As usual she would burn them later erasing evidence.

That evening when we returned home, we came to the conclusion that it was time to move on, packing our belongings, we left.

Rose had created a small fire in the secluded corner of an alley, to burn the images. She quietly stretched her hands out towards me, asking me for the photographs, it was the part, she knew, I hated the most.

"I want to keep them Rose, I want to remember this evening it was some fun we had after a long time, lets just keep this bunch."

I requested sadly.

"Sorry, Liss if we aren't careful enough, and forget even one of these somewhere, it would be troublesome and cause a lot of problems for us."

She stated, a longing was evident, but her protective instincts were far stronger.

Tears filled my eyes, and I could see her resolve break.

" Alright! Alright! Liss stop crying, please, here choose two. "

She said, handing me the photographs.

" three, please, three. "

I bargained.

" Fine.."

She agreed.

I picked the three, all of Rose and me together, and one was specifically pretty with us in our costumes, while she burnt the rest of the pictures to ashes.

* * *

"So Guardians, your positions have been assigned and are mentioned in the sheet you have been given , as you are aware we'll be keeping a close eye on the novices, trying to locate the ones participating in the traditional scavengers hunt.

The locks will be changed tomorrow after the curfew begins, thus loss of keys wouldn't be a major problem , but please make sure that you have the master key with yourselves at all the times, since heaven only knows, when you might just find yourself locked up or stuck up sometime today.

Our aim would be to prevent any major or permanent damage today. I also request you to be careful with your belongings until we posess a copy of the list of the items to be collected.

In order to keep a close eye on the students, some of you have been assigned ' in-costume shift' ,the term has been included on the top left corner of your respective sheet if you've been chosen.

It implies that, you'll be dressed up, in any costume you like, and you have three hours to come up with the idea and inform me.

Any questions regarding the matter can be put forth now."

Said Alberta, almost concluding her speech, waiting for any queries, since there were none, she continued.

" All major problems, and emergencies are to be directly reported to me and it is to be made sure that headmistress Kirova isn't disturbed, being unwell she has decided to stay in her unit for the day.

Thank you for for cooperation and dedication."

She concluded.

My first shift had gotten over minutes ago, and the next wasn't until the celebrations began, so I had decided to start with a new book, after going through the package that Alberta had given us.

After a quick shower, I settled down on my bed with the book and the package on my lap.

On opening, the package revealed the pages containing the schedule that had been fixed for me, the places I was required to cover, the time for the shift a gist of the event and what was expected of us.

The two coupons that fell out of the package revealed that, as a reward for the Guardians, a buffet would be held in the Guardian lounge, and for the next 24 hours, it would serve two meals for every Guardian on campus.

My eyes finally landed on the top let corner of the page, where the words, 'In-costume shift' had been printed in bold.

I hadn't really guessed that Alberta would pick me for the in-costume guarding, but now that she had, instead of worrying , all I could think of was the Stetson hat, that was kept on the uppermost rack of my closet.

The grin that formed on my face was a reminder of all that had happened the last time I had worn it.

Vika had sent the costume along with me, as a joke, but my poor sister had little idea of the fact that it didn't irritate me, it made me happy and so it was decided.

I would dress up as a sheriff.

I informed Guardian Petrov not much later, and emerged from my dorm room only ten minutes before my shift was to start,( I had spent quite some time trying to guess Rose's reaction to this attire of mine and the nuke that this would be in her arsenal of jokes,) only to bump into the head Guardian of the campus , dressed in a casual attire, with an apron and a chef cap in her hands.

I nodded acknowledging her presence. Seeing me dressed, a half smile graced her tired face.

"You can definitely compete for a position in the competition, Sheriff Belikov."

She said finally smiling widely , but the crook of her brows suggested that she was thinking about something.

I was about to head away for my shift, when she stopped me, and produced a gold pocket watch from under her apron.

" When you informed me about your costume, I thought, it would suit. Take it, I have plenty. "

She stated, urging the watch into my hand.

"Hmmm. It suits, the costume is complete, and more western than the ones you wear most of the time."

She concluded casually , after having seen me fix the watch suitably as a part of my costume, rendering me speechless, as she departed.

* * *

I hadn't thought that I'd ever be celebrating another Halloween at St. Vladimirs academy, it was three years ago that I had graduated from this institution, and here I was today, yet again, on the occasion of Halloween, roaming around the halls aimlessly, with Eddie in tow.

We had finished our shifts around half an hour ago and had the rest of the day to ourselves, Eddie had bumped into me at the Guardian office where we both had reported to sign ourselves off duty.

It hadn't required him to convince me, when he suggested that we take a look around the place that we had spent years growing up in. We had been familiar with every nook and cranny, the secret passages had been a mystery to us, but now we had free access, so no secrets for us.

It was calming to reclaim the familiarity we had once had, there had been little to no changes made, and we were glad to notice it.

It was on the third floor that we made our way towards our respective old rooms, and I was surprised to find someone residing in there.

The door was ajar and soft music was being played within, I didn't think of knocking, before I trespassed into ( what had once been) my room.

Instead of surpising the resident, I heard the door slam shut as a fragile hit landed on my lower back, on turning I noticed a young girl with dark brown hair, a determined expression and a classic witch's attire, attack me again,and I simply blocked.

Her actions made me realise that she had much potential, but seeing something she stopped altogether .

"You... You are a part of the visiting Royal Guards."

She stated stuttering and then quickly composed herself, when I nodded on affirmation.

"You guys are actually good."

She commented neutrally.

"You mention it as if you were doubting the fact."

I replied.

"Kind of."

She mumbled, and then perked up continuing,

"I had to see it for myself, thus I attacked you.I had to see if you people are as good as they say. "

She concluded trying to appear calm and cool.

The slight movement under the bed alerted me about the presence of another soul in the room.

"You can come out."

I spoke loudly.

A blonde slim moroi, came to stand beside the damphir, these two reminded me of the younger selves if Lissa and me.

"Would you report us? "

Asked the damphir girl warily.

"Not today. I am off duty."

I replied smiling.

"I am Louisa. Guardian...?"

The moroi said unsure about continuing her words.

" Rose."

I supplied.

The eyes of the damphir girl widened, as she tried to mask her suprise, and non-chalantly stretched her hand out towards me, saying,

" Thank you, Guardian Hathaway. I am Rosalinda. "

Later, asking her to take care of my room I left in search of Eddie.

I caught him standing behind the pillar near Mason's room frantically rubbing his eyes, trying to remove the evidence of his moment of weakness.

A silent agreement passed between us as we headed towards the cemetery.

Seeing the stone that said,

' _here lies Mason Ashford, a protector, a friend, a beloved member of the family, lost before time.'_

Made my heart ache, the guilt still remains as does the melancholy and it was in moments as such that I started loathing myself all over again.

But today was going to be different, it was halloween and it would always remain to be the best of the times we had ever had, so grabbing a melancholic Eddie I headed towards our secret spot.

* * *

It was great to see them here again. It had been a while since they had visited the academy, and I have to say that though it was different, it was good.

They rocked in their official Guardian attire as much and as well as they upheld their duties.

My best friends are now respected and dear to many, and have found love in their lives , there was nothing more that I could have ever wished for them, and they deserved it.

I was sad to see them all gloomy, missing me. I was right here, always, to help and support them in an way possible.

It broke my heart to see the stoic Eddie lose his composure or the ever snarky Rose lose her attitude. I hated seeing them this vulnerable, all for me, thus I was curious when I saw Rose drag Eddie towards our secret hideout.

Its was a natural formation of rocks, resembling a hollow cove, hidden by bushy outgrowth.

We often hid and shared our treasures and spoils of the war, there. We three had spent hours there, talking, bantering and just hanging out

It was our place, where we found solace.

We hadn't visited it eversince Rose and Lissa had returned.

"It has been quite a while."

Commented Eddie, voicing my thoughts.

"It has."

Repeated Rose.

"Its time we dig those time capsules out. I can't wait to see what he had for me."

She stated.

Years ago we had each buried a box containing items for ourselves as well as the other two, and Rose had remembered about them.

Digging out the boxes, she opened them.

"That's mine."

Eddie commented.

"That's his and this was for you."

He said handing Rose a key ring of the flower she had been named after.

"Thats not fair Castille! After all this time!"

Rose said, lightly smacking him on the head.

Moving back to digging, she came up with another box, stating that it was hers. She handed Eddie a batch, as they burst out laughing.

The batch said, 'prefect' and on top it was written 'perfect', with a marker, in Rose's handwriting . It had been our joke when poor Eddie had unwillingly been elected as the prefect in our junior years.

They sobered as Rose dug up the last box, it was mine.

They opened it to find a picture of me and Rose from the day we had participated in the school marathon, and a dried flower was taped to it, signifying, who it belonged to.

Another was a picture of Eddie and me from the first party we had attended together, in the almost abandoned lounges on the third floor of the academy. Behind it was written, ' for Guardian Castille.'

Both Rose and Eddie stood frozen for a while, before quietly heading towards the cemetery once again.

On my tomb they lay a picture of all three of us, it was mine, from my capsule, Eddie put a pack of cards, they were all handmade I noticed, custom made for me. And Rose put a red jumping ball and two pens, these were the items that had caused by us to become rivals and then the best of friends, it had laid the foundation of what we were.

A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she tried hard to maintain the smile, while Eddie had given up all pretense of joy and simply looked away, trying to hide his emotions.

"Guys give it a rest. Its halloween, time to eat the pies, and chocolates, stop making me sad here and go enjoy."

I said forgetting that they could never hear me, but to my surprise, both of them snapped to attention looking my way.

"Ducky! You... ! You idiot! You had been around listening us wallow! Why didn't you speak up earlier!"

Rose snapped, sobbing and smiling all at once,she moved closer to where I was, and I realized that she could see me again.

"We've missed you Ashford."

Commeted Eddie with a sad smile.

"We opened the capsules."

He continued, gesturing towards the things, as I nodded and smiled.

"How can we see you Mase?"

Rose finally asked, and I could only shrug, since even I was unaware , yet just glad that it had happened . It was Eddie, who proposed the most probable answer.

"Because its halloween!"


	6. Play Your Role

**Title:** Play Your Role

 **Author:** TiA995

 **Background:** The masks we wear and the roles we play in life change, especially when it comes to someone as complicated as Adrian Ivashkov. Follow the events of four Halloweens where Adrian grows through his roles of a lonely boy in a home that's not filled with warmth and love, a confused teenager finding his way to new experiences, a conflicted college student with a mask of a party boy and a fulfilled man who's found his happiness.

* * *

 **Age 5, The Royal Court**

Fighting - that's when mom cries a lot and dad's voice becomes really cold and distant. They were doing it again. I could hear it, because of the little crack left between the door and it's frame. They fight a lot. Sometimes they yell, sometimes they do it really quietly. Mom always tells me never to tell my friends about their fighting. I told her once that I don't have any friends to tell. She cried then too.

I wiggled up to the window frame and leaned on it, watching the glass fog before me as I breathed out. It's a cold October night, but that didn't stop the people from the houses around us to go outside. They were all laughing and holding their children by their hands as they hopped from one door to another, dressed funny and asking for candy. I too was dressed funny, but mom said I look like a little angel when she helped me pull on my clothes. I didn't know if she said that because I had a pair of fluffy, white, tiny wings stuck on my back or because she simply loved me no matter what I wore.

I shifted uncomfortably since my outfit was very constricting after all and sighed before I got down from the window and strolled over to the door. I popped my head out and listened. Dad was saying some things, some things that were making mom cry even harder. And then there was a ring on the front door. Everything quieted down before I heard voices again. As feet shuffled I ran back to my bed and sat on it, waiting. The footsteps became louder and soon the door was being pushed open.

"There you are", a warm and familiar voice came from the door as the light from the hallway spilled into my dark room, "I thought you were going to make me wait all day for you."

I stayed silent, looking up at the dazzling crown on top of her head before she kneeled and motioned me to come to her. I ran into her embrace and curled my hands around her neck as I breathed in her expensive perfume. She always smelled nice, my aunt. She is the queen, I'm supposed to bow when I see her, that's what my dad always told me, but I never do. She doesn't let me. She always saves that special little hug for me.

As I leaned away she pinched my cheek and adjusted the wings that got tipped to the side when she hugged me. She smiled as she asked: "And why is my favorite little nephew sitting all alone, in the dark, on Halloween?"

"I'm not allowed to go outside alone", I whispered like I'm sharing some big secret with her.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here", she chuckled standing up and offering me her hand, "Come on Adrian, let's go show you off."

I took her hand, letting her lead me out of the room and down the stairs. My mom and dad were in the foyer. Mom was smiling, her expression making it seem like she was the happiest person in the world. I wonder why that is, she doesn't sound happy when we are alone. Dad was serious like always and his tone official when he stressed: "You don't have to waste your time taking him out, we were just about to-."

"Please spare me", Aunt Tatiana cut in adjusting her shimmery, diamond like long dress before a man dressed in black stepped out of the corner and lifted a rich fur coat for her, "I'm not someone you can fool. Deal with whatever this is."

Without another word to them she waited for the man in black to open the door for her and she stepped out. My mom took a few steps towards me and brushed my hair with her fingers gently before she breathed out: "Have fun my sweet."

She leaned down and I quickly kissed her cheek before I rushed after my aunt. She lowered her hand so I can grab it and we walked out into the street. Everyone bowed and stepped back to allow us through. My aunt nodded to them politely, but was more concentrated on me. She glanced down and asked: "Where to Angel?"

I shrugged, for some reason making her laugh before she added: "We are going to have to work on your attitude. You need to know what you want and ask for it."

"Even from a queen?", I mumbled.

"Even from a queen", she confirmed, "But tonight I'm not a queen so I believe that doesn't really matter."

"You can chose when you are a queen and when you are not?", I questioned frowning.

"Absolutely", she chuckled, "So Adrian, think of what you want and ask for it."

 **Age 15, Alder Academy**

"I want that one", I announced pointing towards the knee length black coat hanging behind the salesman.

"Good choice", he confirmed as dollar bills popped out of his eyes the minute he registered I was asking for what was probably the most expensive piece of clothing in the store.

"Man, are you sure your folks won't mind?", Brent asked as he flipped around a hat stuck in his hand and pulled it onto his head.

"Trust me when I tell you this, they are too busy to notice or care that I'm racking a bill on their credit card", I responded leaning against one of the clothes rack as I waited for the cashier to pack all of the stuff up.

"Hey Badica, are you sure those chicks are coming?", Wesley asked Brent as he strolled out of the changing room dressed in a white suit.

"Pretty sure. I guess it sometimes pays to have an older sister, she promised at least three of her friends will come", he responded as I glanced at Wesley and laughed.

"Problem Ivashkov?", he asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"What are you dressing as a pimp Dorzdov?", I joked crossing my arms on my chest.

"No, but I'll give you a hint", he exclaimed with a smug look on his face, "When one of those girls goes up to my room and starts screaming _Oh, God_ she won't be wrong."

Brent and I burst into laughter as Lars joined us patting Wesley on the shoulder and mumbling: "You, my friend, are an idiot."

"I'm just saying, trick or fucking treat, I'm getting laid tonight", Wesley persisted as I turned to hand the cashier the credit card.

"Let's get out of here before he manages to ruin more of my childhood memories", Lars commented grabbing the bags from me.

I shook my head smiling to myself as we strolled out of the store and headed towards a cab. They joked around while I gave the driver the instructions, hoping we won't get caught sneaking back into the Academy. I've already done enough crap this year to get as close to being expelled as possible. Luckily, I was still my aunt's favorite.

Thinking of my aunt I remembered the night exactly ten years ago when she took me trick-or-treating. It was the first real Halloween I had, probably the last one too. Since I've arrived at Alder it's pretty much all been nasty trick and stunts before getting to the crazy parties we snuck into or lately thrown ourselves. Dorzdov, Zeklos and Badica were my constant companions throughout all of it. No cute costumes, no candy, no childish innocence.

I felt nervous about tonight. For a week now they've been talking about these seniors that will come to our party, girls three years older than us. I had no idea why they'd want to spend Halloween with us, but I had a feeling they were going to be bored out of their minds, despite the "moves" Wesley was planning to put on them. The more the party approached the more nervous I felt. Finally, when I walked into Brent's room I felt like I might puke when I got met by an uncountable amount of people who, beyond all reason and logic, managed to cram themselves into the tiny space available.

Brent patted me on the shoulder and yelled something over the music I couldn't even begin to make out. I had no idea who he bribed to let us throw this party, but as he stirred me towards the balcony I pushed myself to embrace the possibility of actually having fun tonight. As we tumbled out I heard a giggle erupt as Wesley finished whatever he was saying.

"Ladies", Brent announced proudly, "This little devil here is Adrian."

The girl closest to us lifted her chocolate eyes to glance at me and I recognized her as Brent's sister. She was dressed like a nurse, a nurse in a very short skirt and a rather revealing tiny blouse. She smiled at me before she stood up and said: "Take my place sugar, I'm going inside."

"I'm coming with you", Lars exclaimed almost knocking me over in an attempt to follow her in.

"That's my sister, hands off", Brent yelled after them as I took a few more steps and glanced at the other girls.

The girl that giggled when I arrived was dressed in a tight leather outfit, with a pair of cat ears sticking out of her long blond hair. She was as close to sitting in Wesley's lap as possible and she swayed back and forth clutching her pinkish drink tight with her fingers ending in claw like black nails. Brent coughed pointing towards her and announced: "Introductions. This lovely kitty cat is Bethany."

She giggled again before Brent pointed to the girl next to her. A red haired girl with bright eyes dressed in a short blue shorts and a tight blue jacket along with the matching hat and handcuffs hanging from her belt.

"Here we have Officer Caroline."

"Hey", she said waving at me as the last girl stood up from the chair next to the one intended for me.

Her curly dark brown hair contrasted her outfit a lot. She was dressed in a fluffy, feathery, white dress with matching wings and a hallo on top of her head. Like the other girls she wore high heels that almost made her taller than me. She extended her hand and I took it as she introduced herself: "I'm Jen."

"An Angel", I responded flipping her hand over so I can bring it to my lips and place a kiss on it, "I'm Adrian. A demon."

"Well, aren't we a fitting pair?", she chuckled before pulling me to sit down.

Wesley handed me a glass and I didn't even question what was in it before I downed the content. He kept handing me more and more, until I was fairly tipsy and the girls more than intoxicated. Caroline dug through her purse at some point and produced a box of cigarettes. She took three out, lighting them up before handing one to both Bethany and Jen. I watched Jen pucker her lips slightly as she leaned the cigarette against them before taking her hand away and blowing the smoke out. She glanced at me and smiled before she extended her hand and offered me the cigarette.

"I don't smoke", I mumbled out.

"This is as good time as any to try it", she challenged me as I took the cigarette awkwardly, "Let's teach you how it's done."

She briefly explained to me what to do before she nudged me to press it up against my lips, parting them slightly so that I can tuck the bud in between. I pulled on it like she told me, feeling the smoke fill my mouth and then escape before I could do anything else since I began coughing like a maniac. They all burst into laughter and I tried to stop myself from blushing.

"Take it easy honey. It takes time to get used to it", Bethany laughed as she gave her cigarette to Wesley.

I tried giving mine back to Jen, but she shifted throwing her legs into my lap and said: "Go ahead. Give it another try."

I felt my head spin as more smoke filled my lungs. I coughed again a few times, but as I reached the end I got a hang of it. By the time I was putting the cigarette out Wesley and Bethany disappeared while Lars, who came back at some point, and Brent were all over Caroline.

"I need to use the ladies room", Jen announced giving Caroline a strange look, like a sign only the two of them understood.

Soon enough Caroline was on her feet, but not before she added: "Be right back boys!"

Jen leaned in, placing a kiss on my cheek extremely close to my lips and whispered: "Don't go anywhere my charming demon."

Lars at least had the decency to wait until their heels clicked on the floor inside of the room before he whistled and exclaimed: "Damn Ivashkov, you are going places tonight."

I smiled a small smile before I took a sip of my drink, a faint excuse not to say anything since I really didn't know how to respond. We are guys, we don't talk about touchy-feely crap, which is why I couldn't really tell them I was scared shitless. All of them always viewed me as a ladies man because I was honestly always good with girls. But those girls were just as young and inexperienced as I was and despite what they thought, I didn't get very far with them. As a matter of fact, I barely got anywhere with them. A bit of making out, kissing and grabbing, but that's pretty much it. Jen on the other hand, she wasn't a little girl and I was pretty sure that if anything happened I was going to make a fool of myself.

Brent leaned over pulling a condom from his pocket and handing it to me, while Lars took out the key from our room and threw it my way.

"Knock yourself out Ivashkov. Luckily, I'll be spending the rest of the night with Caroline."

"The hell you will", Brent argued since he too had his eyes on that prize.

As the girls strolled back over to us I just pushed the contents of my hand into my pocket hastily before shifting in my seat. Caroline took her place while Jen stayed next to the door eyeing me with a smile.

"It's getting really cold out here. You want to walk me to my room so I can get my jacket?", she asked me while biting her lower lip.

"Sure", I drawled trying to act casual, like her request was not a big deal, like it didn't mean what I think it meant.

"You are such a sweetheart", she chuckled taking my hand and pulling me up.

We stumbled through the crowed and walked out of the room into the hallway. I started to take a left turn to head to the girls dorms when she used her hold on my arm to pull me back.

"Which way is your room?", she asked batting her eyelashes at me.

"That way", I mumbled pointing in the opposite direction.

Without a word she tugged me towards my room and hugged my arm when I managed to catch up. She looked up at me and whispered: "Do you have any idea how cute you are?"

I had no idea how to answer to that so I muttered: "Not cuter than you."

She giggled as we stopped in front of my room, nudging me backwards and leaning against my body. She was a breath away from my lips when she said: "You know, I thought tonight was going to be boring, hanging out with boys who don't know jack squat about women and all, but you, you made it fun."

"I did?", I asked trying to stop my voice from shaking.

"You did", she confirmed, "Tell me something, and I want you to be completely honest, cause I don't like liars."

"Okay", I breathed out as she let her hand wonder under my shirt.

"Are you a virgin?"

I couldn't produce any sounds and I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest so I nodded trying to look everywhere but at her. She grabbed my chin and pulled my head down placing a little peck on my lips while she softly laughed: "Nothing to be ashamed of. I actually think that's adorable. Would you like to change that though?"

"Um, yeah", I mumbled as she took a step back and produced something out of her purse.

It took me a minute to realize what it was. She lifted the shiny metal of the cuffs Caroline had tucked under her belt and dangled them in front of my face while she announced: "I borrowed them from Caroline. She won't mind if they are used for a good purpose."

I nodded completely at a loss. Good God, she is going to eat me alive. My confused expression only made her laugh even more, but it wasn't the kind of laugh that would make me think she was making fun of me, more like an amused laugh.

"Come on pretty boy", she purred plucking the keys from my room out of my pocket, "Let's go teach you a few more things."

 **Age 20, College**

Halloween is officially one of my favorite holidays. And why shouldn't it be? Girls, booze and awesome parties. If I was being honest though, looking back at the last couple of Halloweens, I hardly had any recollection of the fun I had, but I was certain it was more than awesome. I would usually wake up the morning after with a killer headache and a girl next to me whose name I couldn't even remember, but those were just minor details. I swear, Halloween was the only time of the year, aside from Valentine's Day, when you can walk into the room filled with drunken souls who are desperate to jump out of their skin for just one night and take a walk on the dark side. And don't even get me started on the slutty outfits girls wear.

This was my first Halloween in a human world. And I have to admit I wasn't at all disappointed. I'd usually stick with other Moroi that I knew around the campus, but tonight I decided to take a trip to one of the popular fraternities and see what will come of it. It was a good call since an hour into the party I was already surrounded by hot girls and buzzed enough to have a big fat smile on my face the whole time.

Besides, I kind of needed to take a break from my life for a while too. Lately I've been feeling, well let's just say I wasn't my usual self. I'd find myself thinking about running away from everything very often. I've been feeling moody, depressed even, so something fresh was going to do me good.

One girl in particular captured my attention tonight. A girl dressed in a cat woman costume. She reminded me of Bethany from the time I went to Alder, not just because of the costume, but because of the same long, silky, blond hair they had in common. Thinking back to that Halloween I remembered Jen too. Good times.

I approached her and offered her a drink as I watched her awkwardly trying to give me a seductive look, since she was obviously pretty drunk already, while I took a seat next to her on the improvised bar. Flirting came a bit forced to me lately too. It's like I didn't actually have the will to make an effort for anything, but I've convinced myself that tonight is going to be a good night, so I was trying to stick with my usual ways as I decided to start off with something spicy.

"Any chance you are letting those claws out tonight? I'd love to see them at work", I joked lighting up a cigarette and slowly blowing a cloud of smoke right above our heads.

"Well if you stick around you might find out", she slurred patting her hand on my thigh. She scanned me up and down, frowning upon my evident lack of a costume before she added: "So what are you dressed as?"

I leaned over, looking her straight in the eyes as I spread my lips into a grin before hissing at her as my fangs became visible. She screamed before giggling and staring up at me in awe.

"Shit those are really good. My friend tried buying them in the local shop, but they said they were all out. When did you get them?", she questioned as she pulled her head to the side studying my fangs carefully.

"At birth", I said smiling at the joke, or rather the truth, only obvious to me.

"What?", she shouted since she obviously didn't hear me over the music.

"A long time ago", I chuckled before I rose my glass to hers and clunked them together.

We drank a few rounds, enough to make things pretty hazy before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced around stopping midsentence as I looked up and registered a familiar pair of eyes staring at me accompanied by a wide grin.

"Wesley?", I asked completely baffled.

"Well damn Ivashkov, since when do you forget to call your friends to an awesome party like this one?"

Lars and Brent popped their heads from behind him waving at me. I was still too confused by their unplanned arrival to say anything when Wesley leaned over to glance at the cat woman exclaiming: "Aren't you going to introduce us to your lovely friend?"

She giggled clearly smitten by him as I opened my mouth to introduce them before realizing I didn't even ask for her name. Luckily, she jumped up from her seat, well jumped was an overstatement, more like tumbled from the stool and extended her hand before mumbling: "I'm Sara."

"Hello beautiful Sara", Wesley said kissing her hand, causing more giggles, "I'm Wesley. Would you mind if we joined you?"

"Not at all", she managed to say as she worryingly swayed on her feet.

 _I'd mind,_ I thought. It wasn't because I was specifically interested in this girl, but suddenly I really wished they hadn't found me. I needed a break from them, or at least I thought I did. I didn't say anything though since I didn't want to be an ass. Lars and Brent approached me tapping me on my shoulder as a hello before they circled us. I looked at Lars and trying to sound as casual as possible asked: "How did you guys find me?"

"Word gets around", he mysteriously responded winking at me before he transferred his focus to Sara.

In that moment a girl appeared wiggling between them so she can reach Sara while she tugged another, clearly wasted girl with her other hand. She was very pretty with a shoulder length, dark brown hair, curled loosely, big round eyes the same color, high cheekbones and a perky nose. Her lips were full and painted with a dark red lipstick. She looked mighty hot, curved in all the right places and dressed in a slightly provocative, but more than proper little red riding hood costume. She was the least underdressed girl I've seen all night, which made her even more attractive.

"Can we please go now?", the girl pleaded looking at Sara as her drunk friend almost fell over Lars.

Sara ignored her though as she was too busy eye-fucking Wesley. I heard Lars say something to the third girl and she ripped out of the grasp of her friend and flung herself at him. Red riding hood seemed lost, probably since she was trying to decide whether she should try to "save" her friend or not. She shook Sara's arm and tried again: "Sara, can we go before Christina does something stupid?"

"Don't worry", Brent supplied winking at her, "We can watch out for her."

She gave him a look that screamed "yeah right" as he added: "No wolves around here."

"I want to stay", Sara babbled, "You can go if you want."

I felt bad for the girl since I understood how she felt perfectly. I too had this nagging desire to get out of here. I stood up and shifted so I can reach for Christina pulling her towards my chair and making her sit down. I handed her what I hoped was a glass of water which earned me an appreciative look from her. It was the least I could do to try to help somehow.

"Maybe you should wait until she feels better enough to walk on her own", I offered turning to her friend, "I'm Adrian by the way."

"Laura", red riding hood said still glancing towards the door like she was trying to determine whether she should really stay or not.

"Relax Laura", Lars said fixing his eyes on hers, "We are the good guys."

As she looked at him I could see the tension flowing out of her like on command. It was on command. He was compelling her. I frowned and signaled him to stop, but he just smiled and winked at me before he added: "How about we go somewhere else to get some fresh air?"

I knew what he was trying to accomplish. I knew why they were really here when we found ourselves in one of the empty rooms and Wesley suddenly produced a bottle of questionable liquor he only poured for the girls. I wondered if I should try to stop them when the girls were drunk enough or drugged enough not to notice the fact that they were fangs deep into their throats. But I stayed quiet, like I always did. Who was I to give them lessons? It's not like dabbling is something I myself haven't done. Though it was just once and I had no hand in the intoxication of the girl, still I did it. I looked at Laura, her dazzled expression and for a second she actually reminded me of that girl. I couldn't even remember her name now, but suddenly, for the first time, I felt a bit sick thinking of it and seeing what was happening in front of me.

When I quickly got up and raced out of the room my friends didn't even notice it. As a matter of fact I stood outside the house for a while before Lars showed up and asked me if "I'm good". I nodded and lit up a cigarette without a word waiting for him to leave me alone. He did and that's when my mind began racing, dark thoughts filling it up. I guess my night didn't really turn out as great as I thought it would. I felt that same wave of qualm wash over me again. I felt like I was drowning all the time lately. And just like that, right now, with seemingly no particular reason the dam broke. Screw Halloween, screw college, screw it all.

 **Age 25, Maine**

Five years ago on this day I quit college, gave up on my education. In all fairness I was pretty much doing everything but getting educated. Still look back at that, I guess you can say it was a dark time for me. I hated my parents, my friends and my life in that moment. It was also the first time I began feeling the full blown side effects of Spirit. It's safe to say I was a mess.

Today I'm a full time Pre-K art teacher, married to the most amazing woman in the world and a father. Though Declan is biologically not my son, it sure as hell fells like he is. He is the light of my life, aside from Sydney. And life is good. No, life is amazing.

"Adrian, what the hell is that?", Sydney asked as I fought to get a huge box through our front door.

"A surprise", I huffed as I managed to finally, beyond all reason, make it pass through the frame and into our living room.

She followed me in, rounding me and the box suspiciously as I grinned at her and proceeded to rip the box open so I can pull out the toy hidden within it. As the protective wraps fell back into the box I watched Sydney's eyes widen while I exclaimed: "It's a mini car."

"I can see that", she carefully mumbled, probably questioning my sanity again while at it, "Why did you by a mini-, wait is that a Porsche?"

"Yes, it is", I said proudly, "It's not just a Porsche, it's a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, well a toy version of it."

"James Dean's car?", Sydney asked baffled.

"Yep, Little Bastard."

"Why did you by a toy version of Little Bastard?", she asked as her eyebrows shot up.

"For Declan. He is dressing as James Dean this Halloween."

"You do remember that James Dean died at the age of twenty-four driving his car?"

"Details", I huffed, "Besides this ain't the real one."

Like on cue Declan thumped into the room eyes full of wonder. I waited for him to run up to me before I grabbed him and picked him up hearing him giggle. He still looked so tiny despite the fact that he was three years plus old. He hugged me tight while he mumbled into my shoulder: "I missed you dad."

 _Dad, he is calling me dad!_ I'm never going to stop being excited about that. I swallowed down what was probably a ball of happy tears that seemed to be making their appearance every time Declan said or did anything, before I responded: "I missed you too buddy."

Eddie came into the room and the moment my eyes fell on him I knew he has been playing with Declan. He did that a lot. The kid loved him and he, well he was ready to take a bullet for Declan any minute. What made their goofing around so obvious was the fact that there was a smear of blue paint on Eddie's cheek and more of some other color on his hands. Declan was trying out his artistic side lately. Just like his father in that department.

Eddie waved at me before he stopped in his tracks and glanced at the toy car placed on the floor in the middle of the room.

"What's that?", he asked Sydney frowning.

"You don't want to know", she simply answered before she added to Declan, "Wash up mi amor, dinner is ready."

I put him down and he gave Sydney one of his adorable little smiles before he ran off to the bathroom. Eddie followed him lifting his hands to show he needed to wash up too. I pushed the toy car into the corner before I joined Sydney who was setting up the table. One plate less. Mom was away on a vacation. I don't know whether she decided to go because she was sick of us or because she wanted to give us some alone time. We were never alone though. Between Declan and Eddie, as our collective guardian, I wondered why we haven't all started sleeping in the same bed already. I didn't mind the lack of loneliness though. I loved our strange family and I loved being close to them.

"After dinner we can take Declan trick-or-treating", I suggested as I folded the napkins and placed them next to the plates, "He is old enough now to go."

"Sure", Sydney said giving me a small smile, "I believe that's something that might be fun for him."

"It'll be fun for us too", I prompted, "I mean, come on, when was the last time you went trick-or-treating?"

"Hmm, never", she mumbled glancing away.

I almost tripped as I rounded the table and came to a stop next to her.

"Wait, what? You never went trick-or-treating?"

"I think it's safe to say you and I had a completely different upbringing", she chuckled at my shocked face.

"No costumes? No pumpkins? No apple bobbing?"

"None", she now laughed as she took my hand, "Sorry to burst your bubble."

"But apple bobbing is so hot. You know when girls kneel down to get the apples and their skirts ride up and-."

"Okay", she cut in shaking her head like she was trying to "unhear" what I just said, "You know, apple bobbing was originally a part of divination rituals-."

"Okay", now I was the one to stop her midsentence, "Don't ruin it for me."

She laughed before she prompted herself up on her tiptoes and gave me a light kiss. Declan and Eddie rejoined us so she quickly took a step back and finished up what we were doing. After dinner we dressed up, or rather Declan and I dressed up and Sydney, despite my pleading, put on regular clothes while Eddie opted for his guardian attire. We walked around the neighborhood for hours, until Declan had more candy than any of us could carry. I took it upon myself to get him ready for bed and tuck him in once we got back. I wished Eddie good night too before I finally made my way to the bedroom. The light in the bathroom was on and the door slightly opened when I entered the bedroom. I heard the water running so I figured Sydney was getting ready for bed. I started stripping off my improvised firefighter costume and when I reached the pants the door swung open. I glanced up out of a habit and I could literally feel my heart stopping in my chest.

Sydney stood by the door dressed in the most amazing dress I've ever seen on her. It was red, a darker color of red than the one she wore on the Halloween a while ago, a deep, rich red. It had a strap going around her neck and a neckline that was the lowest she has ever worn. It was floor length and hugging her body in all the right places while the edge looked to me like a flame burning from the ground. It had a very high cut on the side of her leg, high enough to potentially show her underwear if she moved in the right way. She looked glorious.

"Is that what I think it is?", I stammered out barely finding words.

"A piece of heaven or, well, that other place", she joked slowly walking into the room as the dress danced around her body.

"How? When? Why?"

"You are not the only one with surprises up his sleeves. It's not Halloween unless you dress up right?", she asked referring to something I've said to her earlier, "It's not like the old Halloween one, but I think it's close enough."

"It's better", I breathed out feeling my head spin from the divine beauty before me.

"I thought you might appreciate it", she chuckled stopping a few feet away from me.

"Oh, I appreciate it alright", I mumbled scanning her up and down again, "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Let's just say you've been the best husband a woman could wish for and I love you more than I can put to words", she stated smiling.

"That's just because I got lucky enough to have the best woman on the planet as my wife, the woman I love more than I thought was possible", I responded taking a few steps forward enough to close the distance between us.

I gently placed my hands on the back of her neck and the small of her back and pulled her towards me. She let her head fall back slightly putting herself in a perfect position so I could kiss her.

"I hope there is matching underwear underneath that", I breathed out as I felt her melt into my frame.

We were a breath away when she fixed my eyes with something I was surprised to call a mischievous look on her face. She bit her lower lip as she whispered: "Actually, there isn't anything underneath at all."

I swallowed loudly feeling that same flame start up in my chest, the one I always felt with her and the one I believe I'll never stop feeling. She never ceased to amaze or take my breath away. She was truly perfect.

"I love you so much", I repeated leaning my forehead against hers.

"Because I'm underwearless?", she chuckled, but I saw her eyes sparkle.

"Because I'm a dreamer and you are a dream come true", I answered before I glued my lips to hers.


	7. When We Were Young - A Halloween Tale

**Title:** When We Were Young - A Halloween Tale

 **Author:** bluegoldrose

 **Background:** Thirteen year old Lissa and Rose celebrate Halloween at St. Vladimir's with their friends.

* * *

"What are you supposed to be?" Lissa asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rose scowled, holding out her arms. The black sleeves of her costume fell almost to the floor.

Lissa wrinkled her nose. "Ummm..."

Rose groaned, pulled off the costume, and threw it across the room. She was now standing in shorts and a tank top. "Fine, what do you think I should be? What are you dressed as this year?"

Lissa spun in her floor length gown. It looked like something from a history book, long and embellished. She wore a thin tiara on her head. "Queen Alexandra. You know how mom and dad always call me queen nicknames because my name means 'queen', well mom and I decided that dressing up like the youngest Moroi queen was a fun idea."

"You're a nerd."

"Whatever. So, what was that?"

"I was trying to be a student from Hogwarts, but clearly I didn't do a good enough job."

The battle between amusement, pity, and compassion was plain on Lissa's face.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Just laugh. Clearly it sucked if even you aren't able to keep a straight face."

Giggling, Lissa picked up Rose's discarded costume. "How did you make this?"

"I stapled a sheet together."

"Where did you get a sheet?"

"I swiped it from the laundry commons."

"Rose!"

"What? It's a sheet from the guest apartments. No one will know it's missing."

Lissa sighed, tossing the sheet onto the ground, and taking a seat on Rose's dorm bed. "You can't just steal sheets."

"Why not?"

"Because stealing is wrong..."

"It helps me learn stealth. Which is important for when I'm fighting Strigoi."

"You won't be fighting Strigoi for five years."

"Exactly!" Rose beamed. "I have five years to practice before I am out there protecting you. Five years to learn stealth, and the best way to do that is to swipe things around campus. It's not stealing if it never leaves campus."

Lissa took a deep breath, pressed her lips close together, and stared at Rose. "I wonder about you sometimes."

"You would be bored without me."

"Yes, but I wouldn't need to worry about you being thrown in detention, again."

"It's been two months since my last detention!"

"You're the only person in this school to get detention on the first day of class three years in a row."

"I was only testing my aim."

"By throwing a stress ball at Mason?"

"He was throwing it back!"

Lissa buried her face in her hands, exasperated and amused.

"Well he was..." Rose insisted, pouting slightly.

Lissa laughed, looking back up at Rose with a shake of her head. "So, do you still want to come to the school festival?"

"Yeah, but not in that." She looked at the rejected costume mournfully. "I don't have a costume now."

"You could go as a thief." Lissa suggested dryly.

"Boring."

"What are your other friends going as?"

"Mason and Eddie decided to be the Mario Brothers. Meredith is going as a mermaid. Your brother is Batman. I don't remember what everyone else is going to be. I could have coordinated with you if we hadn't decided to surprise each other this year."

"You still could if you wanted."

"I'm not going as a medieval guardian."

Lissa laid back on the bed, groaning. "What do you want to be?"

Rose didn't hesitate. "Fabulous." She flopped onto the bed beside Lissa and both burst into giggles.

"You know," Lissa began slowly, "I think you should just wear your red dress."

"It barely fits anymore." Rose's hips and bust had both filled out considerably since turning thirteen.

"Which is the perfect costume for a Bond girl." They looked at one another, Lissa grinning broadly. "You'll be fabulous."

An hour later, Rose was ready. The red dress was very tight, but not enough for Rose to complain. Lissa had also done Rose's hair and makeup, which made her look much older than thirteen.

"I think that you might get called on the dress code..."

"Lis, it's perfect." She twirled. "I just need to avoid Kirova. The new head guardian, Petrov, seems to like me well enough that I don't think she'll tell me to change."

"I think you've been her favorite since we were little."

"I don't know about that. She's given me detention multiple times."

"You probably deserved them all."

Rose shrugged, tossing her hair over a shoulder. "At this rate I'll have the highest record for detentions of anyone in the school by the time we graduate. Someone has to hold the record. Anyway, let's go!"

They left Rose's dorm arm in arm. A few other middle school novices were walking out as well, though most had already left for the festival. The central courtyard between the upper and lower campuses was lit up with carnival games. The scent of food wafted across campus, beckoning the students to come.

Rose and Lissa saw the youngest students first. The students from the first few years were running around, shrieking with delight. Some of the oldest students, along with several teachers and guardians, were watching them.

"Do you remember when we used to do that?" Lissa smiled, watching the kids play.

"I'd still do that if I felt like it."

"Yeah," she laughed. "You would."

"We're only thirteen Lis. We can still have fun."

"Yeah, but now your idea of fun involves kissing boys." She teased.

Rose stuck out her tongue. "Yours does too. Speaking of which..." She spied Eddie and Mason in the crowd. "I have a few people I want to show this dress to."

They walked across the courtyard, dodging groups of students, until they came to a cluster of students in their grade. Rose's grin widened as she noticed the looks of the boys. She was used to getting attention, mostly because she drew attention to herself, but being attractive was still new to her.

"Nice costumes," she said.

It took Mason, Eddie, and the other nearby boys a few seconds to close their mouths. "Thanks," Eddie said. "What's your costume?"

"Generic Bond girl."

"It's really nice," said Mason.

"Better than what I had originally planned. You have Lissa to thank for it."

The boys bowed slightly toward Lissa. "You have our thanks." Eddie told her.

Lissa laughed. "Don't trip over your selves. Come on, let's go do something fun."

So, they did. The four of them walked through the courtyard. They played games, ate snacks, and chatted with their friends.

Some of the time, Rose practiced the skills she was being taught in her novice classes. She would scan her surroundings, observing the people around her. She caught sight of her teachers. Some of the teachers were at the game and food booths while others walked the grounds to keep an eye on the students.

She saw a younger girl with a mass of curly brown hair playing a game which involved throwing balls to knock down cups. The girl lost, but kept trying. Rose saw the very weird Christian Ozera walking around with a petite blonde Moroi girl. The pair split off after a short time, she to join other friends, while he disappeared toward the dorms. Rose and Lissa saw Natalie Dashkov, and stopped briefly to talk with her before they continued on their separate ways.

"Camille Conta has a party planned." Mason told them as they walked from a game of darts. "We're invited."

"I think Andre is having one too," said Lissa. "And you know that the older students are going to be having a better party than the kids our age."

"True, but are you really invited to your brother's party?" Eddie asked.

She shrugged. "I don't like the parties much anyway, but if you three want to go to a fun party, then go to one the older kids are throwing."

"I wish we could get into the senior parties." Mason sighed.

"I probably could." Rose told them, grinning.

"Of course you could," said Eddie. "You're gorgeous."

She twirled, laughing. "Why thank you. So, which party do you want to go to?"

Lissa came up with a solution. "Camille's will be the easiest to get into. After that, we can sneak into my brother's. He might be able to get us into the senior parties."

Rose hugged her. "You're a genius."

They planned to slip away to Camille's party within the next hour, afterward they split up. Mason was interested in playing a game of ring toss, so that was where he and Eddie stayed, while Rose returned to the cotton candy stand for the third time.

"You're going to make yourself sick." Lissa warned Rose. She was licking flavored ice while Rose was attacking her cone of fluffy sugar.

"It'll be worth it. They only give us carnival food at four celebrations each year, and I refuse to waste my time at any of them."

Lissa let out a soft hum of agreement as she enjoyed her own carnival treat. "Less than two months until we get to go home for the holidays."

"You get to go home."

Lissa rolled her eyes. "You'll be my guardian, and you're my best friend, which makes you family. My home is your home."

They smiled at one another. "It's only Halloween now, and you're already thinking of Christmas?"

"I'm thinking of not being stuck at school and spending time with my parents and Christmas food."

"I like those things too, but we still have November and most of December to get through before break."

"Yeah, but we need to use that time to plan presents."

"What are you going to get me?"

"Hmm, I wonder if they make a book on how to be better behaved at school."

"Hey!" Rose gave Lissa a playful push. Lissa was laughing.

"You asked. I don't know what to get you yet." She looked Rose up and down appraisingly. "Maybe another dress like that, but in the right size. The boys are tripping over themselves looking at you."

Rose laughed. "The dress is perfect." She threw away the remnants of her cotton candy in a nearby bin, then pulled her jacket close. "But it is also really cold. I don't know how you can eat that ice in this weather."

Lissa threw away the cone. Her lips and tongue were now rather purple. "The same way you can eat three cotton candy cones, determination. Also, this dress is pretty warm."

They began walking toward Lissa's dorm, where Camille's party was being held. They were almost to the dorm when they ducked behind a tree to avoid catching the eye of one of their teachers. They need not have worried, Ms. Karp and the male guardian never noticed Rose and Lissa, being too engrossed in their own conversation.

"She looks happy for a change," Lissa whispered once Karp and the guardian were a few yards away.

"Yeah. She looks less weird and crazy tonight." Rose shrugged. "Anyway, let's go."

They continued to the dorm, making their way up the stairs to Camille's room. The party was already in session when they arrived. Rose and Lissa were welcomed with drinks- cheap malt liquor- and they began to mingle. They settled on one of the beds in the room, which was considerably easier than attempting to sit on the floor.

The conversation was light and fun. Costumes were complimented and the customary gossip of teenagers began. Gossip grew infinitely more complex and salacious as they grew older. Jokes about crushes as eleven and twelve year olds had grown into rumors about genuine relationships and flirtations as thirteen and fourteen year olds.

They began playing drinking games, which consisted of asking "I've never..." causing everyone to drink if they had done the statement in question. Some of the statements were innocent- "I've never skipped class". Some of the statements were less innocent, often involving various levels of physical contact with another person.

Buzzed, and slightly nauseous from the amount of sugar she had consumed, Rose asked Lissa if they could sneak upstairs to the other parties. Lissa agreed, and they slipped out without much notice. Eddie joined them, but Mason stayed behind to continue flirting with some of the girls in their grade.

Andre let them into his party, shrugging at his sister's request to join, then staring wide-eyed at Rose. He continued to watch her, speechless, as she stepped into the room past him.

"What," she giggled, "you're acting like you've never seen me before."

"I'm not sure I have. You look sixteen like that." He blinked a few times, swallowing hard. "You're stunning in that dress."

Rose cocked her head to the side, grinning mischievously. "Why thank you."

"How did you not get called out for the dress code by any of the teachers?"

She shrugged. "I was wearing a jacket outside... which I left at Camille's."

"I'll get it tomorrow." Lissa offered.

Rose flashed her a smile. "Thanks. Now... let's have fun."

Somehow, Andre and his friends had managed to get rum. They mixed the rum with cola and sipped the hard liquor mix slowly to avoid getting completely plastered. The crowd in Andre's room was a mixture of students from several different high school grades, most were royal Moroi, though novices and common Moroi were present as well. Rose, Lissa, and Eddie were the youngest students in the room, but they were able to ingratiate themselves quickly.

The guests were all at least semi-drunk, since the party had already been going on for over an hour by the time Rose and her friends arrived. Lissa was quickly absorbed in conversation with some of the Moroi girls. Eddie and Rose were pulled into a separate conversation with two older novices and a few older Moroi.

"These are two of the best novices in their year." Annie, a senior novice, told her friends. "And Rose here is already going to be a Dragomir guardian when she grows up."

"If she doesn't get kicked out for all her detentions," Eddie teased.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Please, don't make me kick your butt in class Monday."

"I can take you."

She shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry for the bruises you'll get later." She looked at Annie. "Do you have any idea if someone here is going to request you?"

Annie tilted her head across the room toward a small cluster of Moroi. "Nicole Szelsky plans to have her family ask for me. Her brother jokes that he'll ask for me if she doesn't get me. I'll introduce you to them later."

The agreed, continuing with their conversation for some time. Eventually, they were all roped into a game of truth or dare, which seemed like a perfectly good idea now that they were all drunk. Some of the questions and dares were innocent and silly while others were quite daring. Rose always chose dares. Lissa always chose truths. The group was all good enough not to dare the thirteen year old to do anything too bad.

Nathan Szelsky, the brother that Annie had mentioned earlier, was dared to kiss Rose. He grinned at her, showing his fangs. He was cute, Rose had decided, with his shoulder length blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She wasn't certain that she wanted to kiss him, even though she had already done three kissing dares.

"What if I say no?"

He laughed. "May I kiss your cheek?"

There were groans of disapproval, but she grinned at him. "You may."

He gave her a gentle peck on the cheek, then returned to his seat. He replied very diplomatically to the protests of the other guests. "I won't force the girl to do something she doesn't want to do." They agreed, reluctantly, to his reasons.

The game continued for a few more rounds before most of the guests grew bored. Some began to sneak off to their own rooms while others lingered. Lissa, exhausted and tipsy, left long before Rose and Eddie.

Yawning, Rose was resting on Andre's bed.

"You do have to return to your room," he told her.

She made a face. "I know."

Eddie and Annie approached, also yawning. "Come on, we all have to go back to the same dorm anyway." She said.

Rose held out her hands, letting them pull her while Andre pushed. She rose unsteadily to her feet.

Andre laughed. "Too much liquor for you."

She shrugged. "I'll sleep it off. Thanks for the party. It was fun."

"It was a pleasure to host you."

"It was also a pleasure to meet you."

Rose turned to the speaker, and saw Nathan standing in front of her. She smiled at him. "It was nice to meet you too. I'm sure we'll see one another around."

"I look forward to it."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Stop flirting with her. She's only thirteen."

He shrugged. "It's just innocent fun."

"She can kick your butt." Andre said from his bed. "And I don't want to defend the honor of my sister's future guardian."

"Noted," Nathan laughed. "Well, I should get going as well. Good party Dragomir, I'll be sure to invite you to some of mine."

They and the remaining guests left, all filtering to their own rooms. Rose threw up half way to the novice dormitory, having filled herself with far too much liquor and junk food. Eddie and Annie both helped her, and saw her safely to her room.

Years later, Rose and Lissa would forget most of the Halloween night when they were thirteen. They would forget seeing the young girl with curly brown hair who threw balls at cups, but they would know her as Jill. They would change their opinions of Christian Ozera, and come to know the blonde girl as Mia. They would understand why Sonya Karp was so 'weird and crazy' and know why she smiled so easily with Mikhail.

And Rose would forget the senior Moroi named Nathan Szelsky. She would forget his pretty smile and soft kiss on her cheek. She would forget his kindness and his flirtations. He would forget everything about her except her attachment to Lissa. Then, after all was forgotten, they would meet again. And he would become one of her worst nightmares.


	8. Daymares and Nightdreams

**Title:** Daymares and Nightdreams

 **Author:** dcarot

 **Background:** When someone is living the perfect life, what are their nightmares filled with? When someone is living a nightmare, what haunts their dreams. The following are two stories, one from Lissa's point of view and one from Rose's. I'm not sure I have a specific point in the timeline for the first half but the second part, Rose's POV is very clearly from Blood Promise. I think dreams are never straight forward, but always say something, and I think what Lissa and Rose experience here brings up some of the real questions they faced. Hard truths, in my opinion are the scariest things of all. MA for very adult themes.

* * *

LPOV

"Hello?" I expected an echo and was disappointed that not even a muffled call was returned. Truly though it wasn't surprising. The sounds were trapped in here like the dust that lay in thick sheets over every surface.

"Not even the ghosts want to answer today," Christian said as he walked past me towards the main stairway. It was eerie, watching him move before me but not hearing the sound of his footsteps call back to me. He seemed to glide above the ground with seamless grace. He paused at the foot of the ascent, tilting his head back slightly towards me.

"Coming love?" My feet moved in accordance with the melody of his voice as if it held a music only they could hear. My steps were un-stuttered, purposeful in their approach. I was beside him in an instant but my speed did not seem out of place. Reaching for his arm, the feel of his skin under my hand calmed me instantly.

"What is this place?" My eyes had wandered from the columns that lined the entryway we started in and were now fixated on the painting on the landing we were heading towards. The stairway stopped here and split outwards in opposite directions. The decorations mirrored the divide. On one side, a beautiful woman was depicted in a hyper-realistic painting. She was so vivid I would think it was a photograph expect for the obvious indications of scale and media. Her hair shone like white gold and her perfect mouth was upturned into a half-smirk, half-pout. The image tickled a memory loose of seeing that very expression once before in a photograph, though its original owner was lost to me now. The elegance of her clothing, the posture she held - her entire demeanor shouted that she was Moroi and royal. Unfortunately the eyes, normally an indication of family lineage, were missing. A thick black band had been painted over her eyes like a bandage or a burial shroud.

"Powerful," Christian stated as he brought us to a stop before her. "I always thought this was one of the better depictions, even if the artist refused to paint in the eyes. But it's clear she doesn't need them. She commands an army with the toss of her head and the flick of her wrist." A simple pride filled him as he spoke.

"Do I know her?" I asked. Surely someone so important to him would be important to me.

"You've been acquainted ," was all he said before moving onto the next portrait. Opposite the woman sat a man. His jaw cut through the canvas with a purpose that made him seem perpetually in motion, even as he remained frozen in time. Unlike his beautiful counterpart, a shock of black hair sat atop his crown. He had an air of artful disorder about him; Chaos packaged into the confines of responsibility. His lips were parted slightly, taking a breath to speak. I imperceptibly leaned in to catch his words.

Chuckling he spoke in my ear, "Your response is always enjoyable".

He kissed my neck as I tilted my head to the side. "Are you related? Or have you copied that silly smirk of yours from the painting?"

The face was much too old to be his but something in the framing of the mouth was so familiar. Again, the eyes were obscured.

He chuckled softly again. "You always poke fun at my smirk," his mouth ws at the shell of my ear and his fangs brushed them as he finished, "but I can tell you love it."

"Come."

He commanded and my legs obeyed. The paintings faded into the soft haze as I focused my attention on his figure asI trailed his climbing steps.

When had he changed so much? His back was fuller, he filled his shoulders nicely and this jacket he wore, which was tailored perfectly, accentuated the angle of his back as it disappeared into his waste. His legs exuded power as he climbed the never-ending stairway.

No light guided us, but our eyes picked up every detail from the faint moonlight. Night was full and thick outside the windows but a sleepy haze still clawed at me, even at an hour I should be fully awake.

He finished the stairs and the hallways that it leveled into without a word. At the end he paused, the doors splayed open in front of him. The bedroom beyond was breathtaking: lavish furniture sparsely populated the space, giving a pleasing minimalistic vibe that heightened the elegance of each peice. At the center was a towering bed buried under mountains of blankets and furs. Its comfort beckoned to me softly, but I found my fascination captured instead by the vanity on the opposing wall, its surface covered in trinkets and jewelry. My eyes traced the bottles of perfume and antique brushes that were perfectly aligned on the surface. My hands of their own volition began removing the earrings I wore to place them in the waiting receptacle. What I had initially thought of as dust was really just an illusion made by the soft light; each surface was pristinely maintained.

My ears didn't register Christian's silent approach but my body responded to the gentle pressure of his palms at my waste. A closed my eyes at the sensation, stalling in my act.

"Don't let me stop you," he murmured as his hands found their way to the buttons on my coat.

Returning to my task, , I quickly finished pulling the heavy studs from my ears, they clinked as they settled in the bowl. My task complete, my arms rested back at my sides to facilitate the slipping off of my coat.

A soft groan of appreciation met my ears as he took in the sight of the light shift I had worn underneath all night. Roaming hands met with heavy breathing as one hand ventured up my stomach to my chest and the other tightened on my hips. With this leverage he lightly squeezed my breast as he ground me back into his hips, causing a moan of my own to slip out.

"You look edible," he whispered into my neck as he scrapped his fang against my carotid. I gasped, unable to stop my hips from grinding into him again at the sensations .My breathing was heavy now, and the want that emanated out of my demanded that we cease this teasing and move to the bed. My eyes popped open, taking in the scene from the reflection in the mirror.

In the background was the bed, but in front of it were strangers. My body froze in confusion at the intimate moment depicted in front of me.

Before me stood the man and the woman from the painting. Her entire demeanor, though still powerful, was arced backwards towards the man whose arms she stood in. She was flushed, and desire seemed to define the moment. Dressed simply in a slip, her body was molded against the commanding figure of the man who stood fully clothed behind her. His arms were possessively coiled around her and the teeth at her neck betrayed a different meaning to his consuming emotions. . The main difference between the image before her and the painting were the eyes. No longer covered in black washes of paint, the startling red stood in stark contrast to their white and black halos.

I held the man's gaze a moment longer. As he turned to whisper into the woman's ear I raised a hand to cover my mouth in horror and focused my eyes on the woman; she copied the motion. Fear quickly spiked within me, but was brushed aside with the desire Christian's next words filled me with.

"Consume me."

The words hung in the air, constricting around my heart and mind like his arms around my body.

Fear vanished and I watched as the woman's hand fell away from mouth, caressing her lips and she smirked at me from the mirror, daring me to defy her.

But I couldn't. My feelings were clear. I wanted this.

With that thought I fell into waiting arms and soft grey clouds consumed the bed, the room, and even Christian behind me until all that was left were my own eyes staring defiantly back at me.

I woke with a start, my heart constricting with the different emotions that flashed through my head. Lurching to my feet I sprinted to the bathroom, blinding myself with the sudden brightness of fluorescent light. When eyes refocused I took in the sallow-faced young woman staring back from the small rusty vanity. Her full mouth was drawn into a haggard line that matched the dark circles under her eyes. I took in the eyes carefully; clear and frightened… and startlingly green. Adrenaline still coursed through my veins but my heartrate was receding back to normal levels when I heard someone walk up behind me. Resting his head on my bare shoulder, blue eyes thick with sleep met mine in the mirror.

"Bad dream?" he posited, punctuating his question with a yawn. Nuzzling into the warmth of my neck I felt him say, "It wasn't real."

My gaze returned to my worried eyes as the final moments of the dream returned to me.

"That's what I keep telling myself."

* * *

RPOV

As his teeth retracted from my neck I felt him apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. I catalogued this the back of my mind because the majority of my mental power was focussed on maintaining the bliss that the bite had caused. Again, like every time before, I imagined how amazing this would feel with his arms wrapped lovingly around me in the throws of passion, but his steadfast refusal tempered my ability to voice my desires. I felt him shift on the bed to leave and in my groggy state I tried to request for him to stay but only mumbles escaped. It didn't do any good, it never it. I succumbed to the darkness of sleep as the cold filled the space next to me that he had occupied.

I woke with a start, shading my eyes from the intense sunlight that filtered in from the window. Beneath my arms, the body beside me in bed stirred, flipping both of us on our sides to drag my back against his chest. The movement was purposeful and strong but slowed by the muddling power of sleep. His breath was warm against my neck as he nuzzled his face in my hair. My heartrate was through the roof trying to figure out what was going on. His arm, draped over my body and tucked between my cleavage was clearly within the rays of the sun.

"The sun…" I gasped out dragging my nails across his sun.

"Hmmmmm….. It feels nice but I do need to fix that hole in the blackout curtains." His lack of concern, let alone his lack of bursting into flames, was perplexing.

Completing the feet of turning around in his steel grip I reflexively brought my hand up to his face to caress it.

"Look at me. Open your eyes please."

A slight frown crossed his face as he contemplated my demand. As he puzzled through, I took in his face, as strong and beautiful as I remembered, but much more tanned than I had recalled. After a brief moment the fear in my voice must have become clear to him because he cracked open an eye to look at me in confusion. Beautiful brown eyes met my gaze as he took in the worried lines of my face. Both eyes open now, he asked, "Roza, what's wrong?"

I was only frozen in disbelief for a moment longer. Using the levarage of my new position I rolled us til I rested above him, my weight distributed across his chest and torso.

Taking his face in both hands I reconfirmed my findings once more before lowering to kiss him softly.

"Nothing….. You're…. We're… Perfect."

"Well," I interrupted his thought with a deeper kiss than before, "I guess I can't complain."

My joy was crashing around inside of me like restless waves and I took the emotions out on his face. Still cradling his face with my left hand I let myself sink onto my right elbow as that hand wound its way into his hair. I ceaselessly smashed his face into my own, exploring every inch of his mouth to confirm what his eyes had already told me: no fangs. I savored his lips, nipping and pulling them into my mouth. My hand dropped from his face to the muscles in his shoulders and chest and I raked my nails along his skin, eliciting a groan. As his head moved back into the pillows I took my time nibbling down his jawline to his ear.

Gasping underneath me with the heat of my emotions his jumbled words sounded confused.

"Roza." Gasp, gasp, gasp. "What's…." Again his thoughts were stalled as my left hand found the hard bulge beneath his thin boxers. Giving it a purposeful stroke, I nipped at his ear with each of my next words. "I. Want. To. Celebrate."

His hands came to life on my body and he no longer questioned my motivations. His palms, which had been resting on my hips, took charge and shifted me back into a seated position on-top of him. With the new leverage I ground my self downwards and we both moaned at the sensations. Continuing this new motion with wanton abandon, I felt him slip his hands beneath the hem of my nightshirt and begin tracing their way upwards. They stroked my sides in time with the thrust of my hips, stuttering every once in awhile. When the anticipation became too much I grabbed his wrists and brought his hands up to their target.

Skin on skin I groaned, releasing my pent up emotions. I tasted this once and I had wanted it for what felt like eons. His hands worshiped my body and it wasn't long until he too was finished with the teasing. Pulling himself up into a seated position I helped him extricate himself from the confines of his boxers. I shed my remaining clothes as well and swiftly moved back to mount him, but he was not going to let this happen quickly. With firm hands on my hips, he teased himself at my entrance before catching my eye. He must have seen the acceptance and desire that was mirrored there because he slowly but surely moved himself inside of me. My head lulled at the sensations and I shut my eyes to take in the feeling of him moving beneath me. One hand released my hip and snaked its way up to caress my cheekbones. The love I felt for him in that moment brought tears to my eyes as we continued our dance. He wiped away the silent trail but did not stop his motions.

This was much better than I had hoped; slow and purposeful was what I need even if fast and hot was what I had planned. He played my body perfectly, an instrument he himself had turned all those months ago; I could only play this melody for him.

The symphony of our voices was muted as he brought his lips back to mine. His breath was hot in my mouth as I began moving more of my own volition. His hips stalled beneath mine as I began running myself up and down his length, finding the hidden spot that made my breath come in gasps. He moved his lips down to lay small kisses up and down my jaw from the corner of my lips back to my ear and down along my collar. In the intimate position I had been freely rubbing my chest against his, reveling in the friction, but he put a small gap between us now. Reaching one hand down between us and the other to tweak my nipple I felt my breathing change to halting studders.

We were both so close now, I felt the sensation welling inside me as the desire for release skyrocketed. Removing his hands from me, he snaked one hand into my hair and the other along my jaw. Tilting my head back he licked a wet path along the length of my neck.

"I never could deny you what you wanted most."

His voice in my ear coiled around my brain and seeped in to constrict my heart. He held me still with those words, poised within me as I brought my eyes down from the point high on the wall they had been thoughtlessly resting on. Looking back at his face I noticed that the room had darkened, no sunlight shone through the window and his face appeared lighter, less tanned. But the final shock were his eyes. Gone were the browns I had lovingly drowned in earlier, that had greeted me in my morning panic. No, these were the calculating red of a killer. My brain was shouting something at me, willing my body to move, but I was already hypnotized by those eyes. My heart rate picked up, not from the fear I should be feeling but the desire I held for this man before me. He was my first and only true love and his every actions spoke of us desire and love for me. What was there to be afraid of.

The aggression in his eyes morphed into the soft love his face had held before. Tightening his grip in my hair, he slowly brought his mouth to my neck, waiting until the last moment to bite.

The endorphins released as his teeth pierced my skin were multiplying by the second and I feverishly ground myself on top of him as wave after wave of bliss crashed through my body. My muscles felt like they were spasming for hours before I crumpled against his strong frame and soft darkness once more enveloped me. This time, I did not feel him remove his teeth.

I woke groggily to a dark room and the comfortable bed that had been my prison for too long for me to recall. I pulled myself into a sitting position, itching at the bandage taped to my neck. A cold voice hissed at me from across the room, "Don't scratch."

He rose from the only chair in the room, uncoiling himself like a snake. His approach was swift and silent, suddenly appearing before me. I looked him directly in the eyes, looking for the Dimitri I knew, or even the Dimitri of my dreams. A stranger stared back.

"Are you finally ready?" the stranger controlling the body of my love asked. I couldn't help the tears that silently fell in response to his words. Anger filled his body and he turned wordlessly and stalked out the door.

I knew my decision, I had to escape.


	9. Into the Trees

**Title:** Into the Trees

 **Authors:** A collaboration between ohorpheuss and Swimming the Same Deep Waters

 **Background:** It all began on a Thursday, and that's appropriate because Wednesdays are fitting for endings. This is the story of a dreamlike experience - or an experience-like dream, depending on who you ask. Fake knights and real princesses, a girl in a green dress, a point of no return, and that one day in the year that makes every single one of these things possible.

Set a few days before the Equinox Dance.

 **Acknowledgements:** 'A Forest' by The Cure

* * *

Dimitri almost groaned in exasperation as he shrugged on a dark shirt, carefully tucking it into his black cargo work pants before pulling his chin-length hair back into a tight ponytail at the base of his neck. It was his first full night off in a while, and the last thing he wanted to be doing was getting ready to wander around in the early hours seeking a defiant Novice. But it was Halloween, and the students of St. Vladimir's were planning an illicit party.

A poorly kept secret from the Academy hierarchy, the annual Halloween party operated on a strict 'don't ask don't tell' policy – as did many other prohibited events that happened on the school's grounds. The Guardians in charge of security on campus turned a blind eye to the yearly shenanigans. In return, the Novices and Moroi students were expected to keep the debauchery to a minimum and clean up after themselves. The faculty understood the need for the students to burn off some steam, and there were few enough options in the middle of rural Montana to keep a bunch of teenagers occupied.

However, alcohol abuse was an issue. Be it stolen from some teacher's personal stash or brewed by the students themselves; alcoholic beverages were easily obtained. Dimitri remembered his teenage years and how easy it was to get wasted at a party, even if Moroi academies were some of the most secure places in the world. There had been an anonymous tip earlier that day, hinting that the students had somehow managed to sneak a shit-ton of alcohol to be consumed at the gathering, and Guardian Petrov had decided to act.

While usually, students being punished over some silly party would have held little interest for him, that was before he became mentor, and defacto keeper, for the wayward Novice Rose Hathaway. It had been three weeks since he'd returned she and her best friend Princess Vasilisa Dragomir to St. Vladimir's Academy, and while it could be reasonably assumed that his real charge, the Princess, would be taking up the bulk of his time, she had turned out to be the model student. It was her sidekick, Rose, who was consuming his hours.

After agreeing to mentor Rose, he'd found he'd also somehow become responsible for keeping her in line - a task easier said than done. While she was under strict orders to only attend classes, training, and church, he'd already discovered her out of bounds a few days ago with a Moroi, Jesse Zeklos. Shaking his head to clear _that_ memory, he focused on the conversation he'd had with Rose at training after class today.

"We'll finish early. I am sure you have plans for this evening," he'd teased, testingly.

"Need I remind you, _comrade_ , that I'm on a lock-down and need to stay in my room if I don't want my ass handed do Kirova on a silver platter?" Her immediate reply almost made him sigh. She had a way of testing his patience and getting on his nerves with her smart-mouth, in an endearing but utterly annoying way. "Even if there was something to do this evening, and I'm not saying there is, I can't go anyway, so save your breath."

"That hasn't stopped you before, _Rose_ , and it would be wise to remember how much is at stake if you get kicked out of the Academy," his tone, playful at first, sobered as he considered the full weight of his words. She was hanging by a thread, and as much as she unnerved him, he didn't want her to be expelled. It would be a waste of talent. In all of his years in the field, he had yet to encounter someone as dedicated and selfless as Rose. That's why he had agreed to mentor her. That was why he was even bothering to make her see how important it was to walk the line.

"Look, you're wasting your time. There's literally nowhere to go, and I learned my lesson after…" she trailed off, looking anywhere but him, undoubtedly thinking about the Zeklos' incident. "Anyway, see you tomorrow. Stop being so paranoid; you'll go gray before you're thirty." She collected her stuff, heading for the door and quickly changing her demeanor, her excitement almost palpable, her shit-eating grin making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He didn't believe her, of course. Somehow, he could tell when she was lying. Always the quiet, observant type, he'd learned to read people from pretty early on, and as useful as that ability was, Rose was something other. For everything he understood about her, another question appeared, holding his attention and making him even more aware of her day after day – if that was even possible. From the way her mouth was set, something mischievous hiding behind her smile, to the glistening of her eyes and the tone of her voice, her body language betrayed her intentions ― which is why he was wearily dressing, prepared to find and return Rose to her dorm before anyone else discovered she'd broken curfew to celebrate Halloween with her friends.

As he hurried downstairs, paying attention to how the guardians on duty were moving, he couldn't help but think that the devil himself wouldn't dare to go out on a day like this. The air was charged with something he couldn't name, the cold autumn breeze caressing his cheeks in a silent promise of… what? The forests were silent, despite it being near dawn. The birds should be singing. If it weren't for first of the sun's rays peeking over the horizon, he wouldn't have discarded the possibility of a Strigoi attack.

Back in his homeland, Halloween wasn't really a thing. Some cities in Russia even tried to prohibit its people from celebrating the holiday. He couldn't really compare the way things were in America with the experiences he had growing up, and it made homesickness a weird phenomenon – not being surrounded by familiar things, such as language and even architecture, was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes your memories are so intangible you can't reach for them. Sometimes, they are so powerful you can't give your attention to anything else.

Dimitri looked around himself, considering the students' options. It would be foolhardy to hold a party out in the open in the middle of the day, which narrowed down the possibilities considerably. Alberta had named the woods behind the gym as the usual spot. Furthest from the guardian dorms, thick trees started close to the gym's far side, giving Moroi partygoers protection from the sun. His first place to check identified, Dimitri walked across to the dhampir dorms, deciding to give Rose the benefit of the doubt.

His generous thoughts died the second he looked up and spotted Rose's open window. It wasn't yet snowing, but it was close to freezing out. Far too cold to need a window open. Yet as he stood there like some sort of errant Romeo, he could see her blockout curtains fluttering around the edges of the timber window frame as it brazenly stood open to the elements.

His eyes dropped from her window to the shrubbery below. Intuition told him to look there, and sure enough concealed at the base of a thick, flowerless azalea was a hoodie wrapped around a pair of gloves he recognized. Gloves he'd bought for her. He held the soft leather gloves in his own much larger hands, his thumb absently caressing the fur lining. He'd struggled to find a pair small enough for her hands; working from the memory of when he'd bandaged her weathered, chapped fingers. He wasn't sure why he hadn't told her he'd bought her the gloves. Instead, he'd let her believe they were from guardian stores. Her face when she'd declared them a perfect fit had been enough for him; he didn't dwell on why making her happy had been so important to him.

Wrapping the gloves back within the hoodie, Dimitri was crouching down returning them to their hiding spot when he witnessed a group of Moroi in fancy dress flit across the grass from their dorm block toward the gym. He was far enough away that they didn't spot him, yet this time he was unable to stifle a small groan. Finding Rose amongst the thick trees was going to be hard enough without the complication of costumes. He straightened up with a resolution he didn't feel, walking purposely to the gym.

As he got past the woods' borders, the trees thickening making it hard to see much, the footsteps of the students became his only guidance. Trying to keep away from the most used path, but not so far he could lose the trail, he walked for a long while, more than he thought would be necessary. Twists and turns that didn't seem to follow a pattern and a lack of signalization made him wonder how many students would get lost in the woods today.

Dimitri's thoughts changed quickly from the path to Rose. He couldn't deny he was curious about what her costume would be, and if there would be a meaning behind it. It saddened him that she would never be able to experience a peaceful adolescence and that she had to grow up so fast. He wasn't one to allow self-pity, but in a perfect world that only existed in his most private thoughts, no teenager should have to become a warrior. Things were the way they were, though, and he accepted his lot in life, just as Rose did. He knew that, once he found her, she would come without much protest, because her sense of duty wouldn't allow her to act otherwise. He knew that, when the time came, she would leave everything behind, even her sense of self, to become the best protector she could be. He was proud of her for that.

Over the years, he had seen many dhampirs voluntarily relinquish their personal lives to become guardians. He did that himself. But this was the first time the thought of someone else doing it made him sad.

Losing track of time, he didn't realize he had reached the party until sunlight bathed his face, making him do a double-take. Looking up from the track, his breath caught as he took in the scene in front of him.

He was standing on the edge of a huge meadow; it was warm, like they were in a different realm the cold Autumn wind couldn't touch. Everything around him seemed ethereal and out of reach. The sun illuminated the leaves, making their colors more vivid and painting their edges gold. Wildflowers were growing all over the place, the clearing's natural beauty emphasized by the decoration – and there were huge, colorful fabrics spread amongst the trees, little flags waving in the breeze, and tents where Moroi and dhampir students served drinks and food.

It was sensory overload. The music was loud and cheerful, the vibrant costumes played tricks on his eyes, and the smell was unlike anything he had experienced before. Smoke and resin, something sweet, something bitter and something other. The sun cast auras that blinded him, and Moroi fire-users were displaying their abilities in an enticing way, the flames forming beautiful patterns of light and heat.

Dimitri had been surrounded by magic his entire life, but this was new. Stepping back into the privacy of the tree line, he took a moment to let himself reconcile his bombarded senses, using his Guardian training to mentally catalog everything he could see, hear, smell and feel. The whole place felt out of kilter, and some prescient warning in the back of his head was telling him that he needed to pay attention and keep his wits about him, lest he be bewitched.

Attempting to form a strategy, he stopped short at the sound of voices approaching his vantage point.

"You don't _look_ like the Phantom of the Opera," a female voice carried across to him from the right. "You look like a sad excuse for a ghost. A bit pathetic, really. Have you even seen the movie?" It was Camille Conta, accompanied by someone wearing a bed sheet with eyeholes cut from it. Even from this distance, he could hear her disdain. "Let's get some food and find the others."

Following them as best he was able from within the trees which provided his cover, Dimitri found himself approaching the tents that, for now at least, were the center of the action. There were already at least fifty students gathered there, more arriving every moment. He could see three Draculas, another ghost, and numerous people wearing costumes he couldn't immediately identify milling around the laden drinks table. Yet even amongst the riotous color and sound, one person stood out - his charge, Princess Vasilisa Dragomir.

Dressed as an angel in white, with her pale blonde hair, and almost colorless skin, she was resplendent; a veritable beacon of beauty. For a moment he was torn. While not officially on duty, the Princess _was_ his charge, and she should not be at this party either. But tonight she was not his concern. Others were charged with vouchsafing the Princess' safety, today, and the consequences for Rose were she to be discovered reveling would be much more severe. For now, at least, his focus had to be Rose. The Princess was in no imminent danger.

Yet he kept her under close observation. Where Vasilisa was, Rose would inevitably follow like she always did. She had yet to make her appearance – Christian Ozera instead hovering around Lissa. Dimitri found it peculiar since he had never seen Christian actually talk to another student if he had the opportunity to avoid it. With his usual, sarcastic demeanor, he complimented the Princess' costume – but Dimitri could see he actually meant every word. Her reaction made even less sense to Dimitri than Christian's flattery. She seemed _pleased_ by his backhanded praise, and the whole talk sounded awfully flirty.

"Who did you come as?" she asked him, her voice lilting playfully.

"I'm the dark horseman - from the story Vasilisa the Beautiful." Her smile was genuine, and Christian couldn't hide the way he lit up in response.

"I've never read it," she responded leadingly, inviting him to outline the tale.

Eavesdropping from within the trees, Dimitri listened to the young Moroi's distorted retelling, noting he seemed incognizant to the warnings implicit within the simple childhood fable. But perhaps only those who had grown up as he had knew to mistrust Baba Yaga - and if the deeper meaning behind the four horsemen in the story was lost to the young man retelling it, that too might be for the best.

He let himself hope they'd be able to find happiness in one another, if the thing he was witnessing should bloom and grow. Love, it seemed, could be found in the most unusual places; if the outcast and the Princess could be together by the end of the tale, maybe the world wasn't such a dark place after all?

Before Dimitri had a chance to ponder it further, he caught a movement at the corner of his left eye. Light green silk, fluttering in the wind, followed by a lighthearted laugh. Not even a word, he recognized the sound. He had heard it many times. He had felt it warming his soul, so much so that he didn't care if it was at his expense - something he had never previously admitted to himself. Rose. _Roza_ , as it was in his homeland _._ He could hear her laugh, and some part of him wondered whether he was the cause of her mirth. Had she seen him? Did she know that he'd given up a night of reading and relaxation in order to go on a fool's errand?

Lissa's head snapped up, and she turned gracefully to the other side of the meadow.

"Rose?" she called out expectantly.

There was no response. The leaves seemed undisturbed, and there were no footsteps to follow this time. The forest was quiet. If it weren't for Lissa's question, Dimitri would have disregarded what he saw and heard, writing it off as the result of an overactive imagination.

Although, there was something else, too. A sense of being observed; a presence behind him he couldn't shake. A call that lured him deeper into the forest. Every second that passed, the feeling grew, demanding his attention.

It was a taunt as well as a promise. She was here.

Dimitri wove in between the tall tree trunks, moving silently, guided by an intuition he didn't know he possessed. He'd come far enough away from the meadow that he could no longer see or hear it – the occasional waft of sandalwood, patchouli and something more organic the only indication the party was near.

He stopped when he passed the same spot for the third time. The trees seemed to beg him to uncover their secrets. He remembered when he was little his grandmother telling him not to trust a forest. How else would he find Rose, though? Away from the meadow's light, the shadows grew with every step he took, the cold wind cutting his unprotected cheek and whispering as it took the leaves to dance, fast and mercilessly.

Everything sounds louder in the silence, and the darkness is rarely a friend. She serves no one but herself and swallows everything in the end. _The devil himself wouldn't dare to go out on a day like this,_ he thought again.

Dimitri couldn't shake the feeling that he was running towards nothing. That with their mendacity, the trees were leading him on a wild goose chase.

He was certain they were long past the wards, but there was a girl running in the woods, and he had to find her. No, not a girl. The _only_ girl. He had to be sincere with himself, if only for this moment. Why did he follow Rose? Why did he care so much?

What was it about her that left him out of control, taking him away from his roots, nose-diving into feelings he didn't know existed?

It felt like falling.

When a twig snapped off to his right, he silently moved in that direction, almost stumbling upon a small, lithe boy dressed in beggar's rags sitting completely alone in the pine needles on the forest floor. A child regarding the world with adult eyes. Dimitri didn't recognize him, although something about him seemed familiar. The knowing look in his eyes was unnerving, yet he looked much too young to be lost in a forest all alone.

"Come closer and see. See into the trees. Find the girl – if you can. Come closer and see. See into the dark. Just follow your eyes," the youngster whispered to the man who towered over him, before turning and pointing back in the direction Dimitri had come from. Dimitri looked over his shoulder. The riddle made no sense, yet the sentiments strangely echoed the very thoughts that had already been swirling within his brain.

"I can't see her," he murmured in frustration, but when he turned to face the waif again, the child wasn't there. It was as though he had never been.

"Dimitri…"

He hears her voice, calling his name. The sound is deep, in the dark. He hears her voice, and starts to run. Into the trees.

Another flash of green – something filmy flashes between the rough, textured trunks. A giggle, the sound of running. He pushes himself harder and sees her, but it is not her. And then it's her again, and he doesn't know what to trust. Sometimes she stops, sometimes she disappears completely. And sometimes, she is the one following him

And then it's there. Her hair, flowing like a dark river of silk. Her dress, moving like it has a life of its own and wants to keep up their futile pursuit. Her curious eyes, the same glint of mischief he's seen in there ever since they met. She is there, and it's as clear as day. Everything he refused to see before, every feeling he had denied due to sheer stubbornness and _fear_. He fights undead monsters yet lacks the courage to bring himself to admit one simple truth.

Rose was the most beautiful creature he had ever witnessed. She always had been.

Who was he trying to fool? If one person deserved his honesty, it was himself. Of course he had fallen. He had lost his grounding roots the moment he first laid eyes on Rose Hathaway. The tall tree felled, resting on the forest floor, ready to become something else. Because roots can't take you anywhere, and he had places he wanted to see. Places only she could take him.

She smiles, and it's as though she can read his thoughts. She offers her hand, and he doesn't fear it. He reaches for her, and for a change, she doesn't disappear. She should be cold, but her hand feels warm in his, as he tries to remember why he was chasing her in the first place. Every motivation he once had seems dim and unimportant compared to the realization that dawns on him at that moment.

He was in love. And for now, he didn't have to subsist on the tragedy of it. For now, every cliché was true, every breath was precious, and nothing had meaning, but he was okay with that. When she was with him, he was okay with anything.

Like a man possessed, he runs his hands up her bare arms. He comes closer, lifting her chin, holding her to him with his free hand. He leans down for a kiss. Her lips are soft against his, her breath warm as she sighs in contentment. Her arms snake around his neck and he pulls back from her, his eyes searching hers. Is this okay? Does she want this as much as he does? Does she feel the same way? She answers him with a smile and closes her eyes.

He opens his.

His alarm clock is blaring on the bedside table. He can still feel the warmth of Roza's lips. The feel of her arms around him, her body pressed against his. What happened in the forest? His memories of the day before are fuzzy and every bit as elusive as the girl from his dreams.

But had he been sleeping? In twenty-four years, no dream had ever felt so right; no lucid experience compared. Did his mind invent this whole thing, just to throw at him feelings he wasn't ready to face? Or did he really find home in someone else's heart, if only for a moment?

And most importantly, had he really kissed his pupil, an underage student?

Shaking his head, he rises and prepares for their training. Leaving his room, he decides to act as if nothing happened. He sees her as she walks into the gym, late as she is every day. She complains, but takes his lessons seriously. Today she's cracking jokes about his taste in music and his books. But now, it feels bittersweet, because he can feel himself falling more in love with her with every thing she does.

He convinces himself that it was nothing but fantasy; a covetous construction of his mind.

But he can see longing in her eyes when she thinks he is not looking. He prays to whoever is listening that she doesn't feel the same way about him. He likes her too much to wish she would love him back. But he can't deny the fact that her love would make him feel infinite.

He's running towards nothing. Again, and again, and again.


	10. Guardian's Halloween

**Title:** Guardian's Halloween

 **Author:** thefangirldiaries

 **Background:** In the days leading up to the guardian's Halloween party, strange things are happening to Rose and Dimitri. They have to uncover the truth before they're both at the mercy of a murderer. This story is complete, but the conclusion will be published as chapter 2 of this story on my private page on November 7th.

* * *

25th - wednesday.

* * *

Dimitri and I sat in a semi-private corner of the guardian's lounge as we ate our lunch. As the weather cooled down for the year, more and more guardians filled up the lounge around lunchtime. Despite Dimitri and I not being able to talk freely with so many ears around, I enjoyed our time together. Right before we were about to leave, my friend Meredith from St. Vlad's walked in and pushed past the other guardians to target us.

She placed both fists on the table in front of us like she was interrogating us, "Have you seen the mass email yet?" Dimitri and I glanced at each other and shook our heads.

Meredith sighed, "Of course you haven't. Anyway, there's a halloween party on Tuesday for the guardians in the small ballroom. It's starts at 6pm and goes till midnight." I was about to say something but Meredith held up her hand, "I already checked your schedules and neither of you are working, so I'd better see you there."

I looked over to Dimitri, but he wasn't paying attention to us. He was looking at Jovan. Jovan lived and grew up in Moscow, but he's been staying at court for a few weeks while he waits for a new assignment. Jovan's last charge had been brutally killed by Strigoi. I'd seen him frequently at the gym after my shifts, and he always talked my ear off until I made up an excuse to leave. I think he was desperate for friends. I'd only seen Dimitri and Jovan in the same room a few times, but every time I got the feeling Dimitri was scrutinizing him.

Meredith snapped her fingers until Dimitri looked at her. "I'll see you at the party," Meredith commanded. She walked away with a dramatic flip of her hair.

"Don't you think it's weird that we're having a party less than a month after a guardian went missing near the ward lines?" Dimitri asked in a low voice. I shrugged, "That hasn't stopped us from throwing parties in the past. Hey, what's with you and Jovan?"

Now it was Dimitri's turn to shrug, "He just reminds me of this guy I went to St. Basil's with. He got arrested senior year for trying to murder a teacher."

"Shit…" I couldn't hide my shock, I leaned in to keep others from overhearing. "What happened?"

"His name was Alexei. He was in my grade. We were never told the details, but he broke into our history teacher's room during the day and tried strangling her."

"That's insane," I shook my head, "But you can't hate Jovan just because he looks like a guy you used to know."

"I don't hate him, Rose. But the resemblance is uncanny. I'll find a picture and show you."

"Maybe you can dress up as him for the party!"

He groaned. "You're really going to make me go, aren't you?" Dimitri asked forlornly. I kicked his leg under the table, "Of course! We have six days to get good costumes, that's plenty of time. I already know what I want to be."

"What are you going to be?"

"You'll see at the party, until then it's a surprise."

* * *

26th - thursday.

* * *

The gym was crowded tonight, and Dimitri and I had a hard time finding two pieces of equipment next to each other. We had to split up for most of the workout, which sucked, because this was our date night. We tossed our bags on the floor next to everyone else's. The guardian's used the code of honor, which meant the royal budget didn't want to pay for a locker room, and we had to trust that our colleagues wouldn't steal our things at the gym.

I put on headphones and pretended not to notice the people who came up to me to ask me to spar with them. The only person in the gym besides Dimitri that I didn't ignore was Eddie. I grinned when I saw him walking up to me. "Come to get your ass kicked again?" I asked. Eddie rolled his eyes, "I think anyone here would agree that sparring with you is not about winning, because that's impossible. It's about the experience."

I followed him to the ring, which was currently being used, so we had to wait our turn. I could see that it was Jovan and a guardian whose name I didn't know in the ring, and it looked like Jovan was about to win. Eddie nudged my shoulder, "You know, I think that guy has a crush on you."

I whipped my head to Eddie. "Who?" I demanded.

"What'shisname, Jovi. He was here two nights ago and cornered me at the free weights. Kept asking me questions about you and Belikov." I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Dimitri already didn't like the guy, and it seemed like he would be around for a while longer.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glanced over my shoulder to make sure nobody, particularly Dimitri, could hear us. "What kind of questions?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Whether you two lived together, I told him yes. If you two fight a lot, I told him no… He also asked the best time to catch you at the gym, and I told him to fuck off."

I laughed and patted his shoulder, "I don't know what I would do without you, Edison. Hey…" I lowered my voice, "could you not mention this to Dimitri?"

Eddie flicked his eyes toward me, "Too late, Rose. I just did reps with him and told him what I told you."

"Great," I mumbled sarcastically. "Hey, look, it's our turn for the ring!" Eddie dragged me in. Just like any other time I fought in the ring, I noticed people watching the fight. This time, though, I was acutely aware of Jovan watching me.

* * *

27th - friday.

* * *

Lissa pulled a maroon skirt off the rack. "This one would work!" she exclaimed hopefully. I nodded over my shoulder, "I'll try it on with the brown vest."

She was upset with me earlier for sleeping in and missing most of the time she was free to spend with me, but apparently she was over that now. She even snapped at me, but I wrote that off as stress. She'd had a lot of closed door meetings recently that even I wasn't allowed in, and I would have to wait for her outside the meetings.

I didn't share her stress. I'd been sleeping like a baby for the past week, and I didn't know why, but it's not like I'm going to complain that I'm sleeping well.

This year, Lissa had to experience Halloween vicariously through me, since it would be too dangerous and too improper for the queen to go to a kegger style party. So she kept busy hunting for my halloween costume, and I was busy in the adult section hunting for Dimitri's birthday present. He was turning 29 tomorrow, and I procrastinated in getting him an actual gift.

"So Dimitri doesn't know what your costume is?"

"Nope! And I don't know what he's going as either. We have to find each other at the party, and we can't cheat and tell each other where we are because he lost his phone yesterday."

"Ooh, mysterious and sexy," Lissa giggled under her breath.

I hummed, "I hope so. What do you think of this one?" I held up a blue sheer nightie. Lissa scrunched up her nose, "Blue isn't really your color. What color does Dimitri like?"

"I think as long as I'm not wearing that much he won't care what color it is," I said as I shoved the blue piece back on the rack, thinking the answer was red, red is Dimitri's favorite color on me, but I wanted to keep that to myself for some reason.

We searched for a good hour before my party costume was fully assembled. It was nowhere near as revealing as the lingerie, but it was still sexy in it's own way. I was going as a "steampunk girl", but I looked like a steampunk prostitute. The white lace fringe shirt covered my chest entirely, but the vest pushed up my boobs so much that it didn't matter that they were covered. The shirt came up around the neck and tied in the back to resemble a choker. The brown leather vest had little gears sewn into the fabric like buttons, and had even more lace fringe on the sides and on the shoulders. The deep maroon skirt stopped mid thigh, showing off the fishnet stockings covering my legs down to the brown boots. We found matching earrings with gears dangling down and a miniature top hat to complete the look.

"Damn, Rose. You look like a cowboy's wet dream…" Lissa gasped, "You're wearing this because it's Dimitri's sex fantasy, isn't it!"

I smacked her arm, "Shut up!" I glanced around to make sure no one heard her say that.

"You're blushing! It is!" Lissa accused. I rolled my eyes. "Shut up and help me find some lingerie."

It didn't take long. I found the perfect outfit. It was white lace, and there wasn't a lot of it. Even wearing it I would be considered naked. Both of the outfits I bought made me feel incredibly sexy, and I wondered if I could wait until Dimitri's birthday tomorrow to try the outfit on for him.

* * *

28th - saturday - dimitri's birthday.

* * *

I smoothed down the lace covering my stomach. The tops of my breasts were completely exposed, the small size made my breasts strain against the fabric. My calves were covered by the creamy stockings, with lace bows that clipped to the bottom of my underwear. My thighs were completely exposed, as was the bottom half of my ass and my shoulders. I flipped my hair over my shoulders so that Dimitri would have a clear view of my near naked chest.

Dimitri had complained that he was exhausted and didn't want to do anything for his birthday, but I insisted. He was currently watching a rerun of some fantasy show, since I told him I was putting my makeup on for the dinner reservation.

He'd seen me in sexy outfits so much recently that I needed to kick it up a notch if this time was going to be memorable for the both of us. He probably expected the lingerie at this point. I wanted to provoke him and play with him, and I knew exactly what to do.

I put on cream colored heels and went to the door while keeping myself out of sight.

"Comrade! I have my Halloween costume on. Do you want a sneak peak?" I called out.

He muted the TV. "I thought it was supposed to be a surprise," he said curiously.

"It is. Surprise!" I walked into the living room like I was strutting down a catwalk. I registered the shock on his face before I did a twirl for him. "What do you think?" I asked in a sweet voice. When I faced him again I was pleased to see that he clenched his fist in frustration. He sat there, frozen with a dark expression on his face. I tilted my head and furrowed my brows in mock confusion. "Don't you think my costume looks nice, darling?" I could tell at this point he could see through my facade, but he played along anyway.

"You're not wearing that to the party, milaya," he stated with a sly grin, standing up and taking two steps toward me. I took one step back and resisted the urge to grin from excitement that my plan was working. I planned to keep it up as long as I could. Dimitri always rushed in the heat of the moment, but today I was determined to torture him slowly.

I pouted, "Why not? I think it's cute."

He took two more steps my way. "It is. That's why you're not wearing it. I don't want other people thinking about you the way I'm think about you."

"And in exactly what kind of way are you thinking of me?"

He ran his hands through his hair as if I were giving him the biggest headache he'd ever had, but a small smile was peaking through. "Do you have any idea what goes through a man's head when you wear things like that?"

I casually leaned against his desk and spread my hands out across the surface. "Well I can't speak for the general population but I think I know what's going through your mind right now."

"I'm thinking that you should take that costume off. Right here. Right now."

I bit my lip to suppress a gasp as my stomach did a backflip. Still, I didn't move away as he got closer and closer to me. "Well, maybe I should get a second opinion." I jerked my thumb to the front door. "I'll go ask Jovan!" I joked.

Mentioning Jovan was apparently a big mistake. Dimitri's playful side disappeared and his features clouded in real anger. I realized then how much Dimitri disliked Jovan, despite his feigning indifference around others. If I'd said I was going to Eddie or even Ambrose, Dimitri would have laughed. "You're not going anywhere near him dressed like that."

Fuck! I thought. I needed to change the mood in here real quick. I closed the space between us and placed a hand on his chest. "You're right, comrade. He wouldn't know what to do with me if he saw this."

And then it didn't matter how angry he was with me, I knew I had succeeded in turning him on. He reached for me at the same time I reached for him. Before his lips even met mine he was lifting me up and backing me into the wall. "I can't believe you're wearing white, it's almost bridal." he mumbled in between kisses. I laughed at the not-so-subtle jab at how long it took me to come around and marry him.

"Shut up and take me to the bedroom," I ordered. He didn't waste any time in following through. He carried me with my legs wrapped firmly around him.

He left the bedroom door open, and I was about to scold him before I remembered we hadn't given anyone keys to our new place. Nobody could walk in on us anymore.

I pulled hard on his hair to let him feel how aroused I was, making him groan into my mouth. In response his grip on my back and shoulders got stronger. I was already worked up from teasing him, and his rough handling of me was only turning me on more.

He laid me on the bed with my heels still on and took a step back to lean over me, keeping his eyes trained on my chest. He studied me there, his hands lazily trailed the exposed skin of my legs and thighs. A shiver ran through me as his hands inched higher and higher on my thigh.

He met my gaze with hooded eyes. "I really like your costume, Roza," he said softly.

"Good," I breathed. "But the underwear is uncomfortable. Maybe you can adjust it for me?"

He grinned devilishly down at me. "You know I can't say no to you."

He leaned down and his lips were on mine... and his hand had finally found its goal. He started rubbing me in a motion that only he knew I loved, getting a loud but involuntary response from me. Like always, there was a moment where I forgot how to breathe as he lightly touched my most sensitive areas. He moved my underwear to one side and slid his fingers along me, coating me in my own wetness.

"Is that better?" He asked suggestively.

"Yes," I hissed, arching my back into his touch.

As if his hands weren't driving me crazy enough, his mouth moved down to my chest, sucking and kissing my nipples through the fabric of the lingerie. With his free hand he grabbed my hand and brought it down to the bulge in his jeans.

I squeezed- lightly- until he gasped against my skin. He lifted his face to be level with mine. "You're going to pay for that," he warned happily. I squirmed against his fingers on me. "What are you going to do to me, sir?" I asked innocently.

He smirked, and before he could come up with a good response, I started rubbing his erection through his jeans.

"Yoptel Mopsel," he grunted and lifted himself off of me to get his jeans off. I leaned up to lift his shirt, and he lifted his arms to let me undress him. Once he was fully naked, he climbed on top of me again, and pulled at the hem of my lingerie. I grabbed his hand and shook my head. He let me switch our positions so I was laying on top.

I placed one hand on Dimitri's shoulder and the other on his thigh behind me and grinded my hips into his growing erection. His hands gripped my hips and tried controlling my movements, but I stubbornly set a slower speed than he wanted. When he started moaning my name I stopped my grinding and got off the bed to stand before him. I pulled on his arm to guide him to the edge of the bed.

I kneeled in front of him, putting my face even with his cock. "Just sit back and enjoy the view, lyubov moya." I took him into my mouth. Well, some of him. Dimitri had been going down on me since we started dating, claiming he enjoyed it, but I was more hesitant and had only started reciprocating recently, so I was still fairly new at giving blowjobs.

I couldn't take all of him in my mouth without gagging, so I wrapped one hand around his cock and the other messaged his balls. Every time I went down on him, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I loved pleasing him, especially when he was focused on what I was doing to him, instead of him being distracted by pleasing me.

Dimitri tangled his hands in my hair, guiding my head as I bobbed on his cock.

I worked my way up and down for a long time, his groans urging me on. I hummed as I tried each time to put more of him in my mouth, until I didn't need my hand to rub him. When I could feel he was close to cumming, I tried to get off him, but his grip on my head kept him deep inside me. I glared at him as best as I could in my position. He looked down on me with a mischievous smile. "May I?" he asked.

I couldn't answer verbally so I showed my consent by going deeper on his cock. Dimitri swore and jerked his hips several times before cumming. I tried to swallow it, but some got on the corner of my mouth when he pulled his dick out. He rubbed his thumb on my mouth to wipe his cum off. "Thank you for my birthday present," he said softly, relaxed after his release.

He pulled me up on the bed with him and we layed down next to each other.

* * *

after.

* * *

"Actually," I said, kicking off my heels, "we really do have a dinner reservation, but we've got time for a nap." I was actually tired and wanted to sleep, despite still being aroused.

Dimitri, who was still high from his orgasm, didn't even notice or care that I still hadn't gotten off, but I forgave him. I knew he would be willing and ready if I asked. He grinned and kissed my forehead. "A nap sounds perfect."

I had just snuggled into a position next to Dimitri when I saw a blinking light through the doorway in the living room.

I bolted into an upright position. "What's wrong?" Dimitri asked, squeezing my hand. I bit my lips as I kept my eyes trained on the living room door. My guardian instincts were on high alert.

"Rose?" Dimitri asked again. "It's nothing, comrade. I just thought I saw something."

I left his embrace to see if there was anything in the living room. I tossed on a robe and walked around the house several times, checking behind doors and curtains. As casually as I could manage, I went back to my half-asleep husband. "Happy birthday, Dimitri," I mumbled as I lay next to him, but I couldn't relax.

Instead, I got back out of bed. I put on clothes and stepped out into our backyard and called Karolina. I wanted to see a copy of a St. Basil's yearbook, and if any one of Dimitri's family knew more about Alexei, it would be her.

* * *

29th - sunday.

* * *

I had to cancel the dinner reservation last night after I couldn't wake Dimitri up from his nap for the life of me. I desperately needed to talk to him, but I couldn't inside the house.

In a stroke of luck, Lissa's daytime meeting with the Alchemists was cancelled, so I was relieved of duty during the vampiric night and would get to sleep in my own bed tonight. It was the rare weekend that I hadn't been separated from my husband at all for work.

I even had time to go to the gym. The gym wasn't all that crowded tonight, as many guardians went to church on Sunday. The downside was that Jovan didn't go to church. He showed up a little after me and followed me around the gym every time I chose a new piece of equipment to work with, he even grabbed my water bottle and phone before I could and carried it for me.

He tried to start conversation multiple times, but it was hard to keep up a conversation when I had my headphones turned all the way up and had no intention of taking them off to talk to him. I escaped him for five minutes by going to the bathroom, but he was actually waiting for me when I went back into the main room.

Still, I was in a great mood when I got home, looking forward to round two with Dimitri behind closed doors, and I mixed together the ingredients for black bread. I couldn't cook a full meal, but I could at least make our favorite snack.

Dimitri, however, was not in the same mood. He slammed the front door when he came in and rushed to the kitchen. I already knew what he was going to say before he said it. "Why did Clara just tell me Jovan was all over you at the gym today?" His jaw was locked and his arms were crossed over his chest.

I suppressed a sigh. "Hello. Welcome home, honey. It's nice to see you too."

"Don't try to be funny, Rose."

I picked up the already mixed bowl and started mixing again to keep my hands busy. "Jovan was… being nice." I tried explaining optimistically.

"I don't want you talking to him, ever. I don't want you alone with him or anywhere near him."

"What the hell? I can't avoid him when he lives at court with us."

"Roza," his anger melted into something softer, but underneath that he was still explosive. "He's Alexei. Remember that St. Basil's student I told you about? Jovan is him." Dimitri sat in the chair opposite me and squeezed my hand tightly.

My breath caught in my throat. Dimitri was going to get us in a lot of trouble if I didn't get him to stop talking right now. I put the mixing bowl down and fixed Dimitri with a glare. "Dimitri you don't know what you're saying. Let's not talk about this now." Or here.

"Rose, it's gotta be him!" He shouted. I shook my head and scoffed, "You're just saying this because you're jealous." I hated myself for saying it, but I couldn't take it back.

"This has nothing to do with jealousy," he said condescendingly. He grabbed my water bottle and took a swig from it while he thought of what to say next. "I grew up with this man, I would know if it was him."

"They have different names!" I shouted. "They're from different parts of Russia! And It's been more than a decade since you've seen Alexei!"

Dimitri stood up again, pulling on his hair. "Don't be stupid, he could have made all of that stuff up!" he yelled. "Rose, he tried to kill our teacher for no reason! He told the guardians who captured him that he wanted to see if he could do it. He's a sociopath."

I chose to ignore the stupid comment, for now. "But Jovan is not Alexei! Alexei is in jail. Even if he broke out of jail why would he come to court, of all places. Do you realize how crazy that sounds?"

"Not as crazy as half the shit we've been through, Rose."

I rolled my head back and waved my hand in defeat. "Then go tell Hans. Do it!"

Dimitri threw up his hands and stormed out of the house. I put my head down on the table and counted to 15. Once I gave him a head start I ran to catch up with him and explain everything before I could let this come between my marriage.

* * *

30th - monday.

* * *

I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I was prepared for a lot of things, but not this. I thought of how well both Dimitri and I had been sleeping recently, even though I have trouble falling asleep and Dimitri can't stay asleep. I thought of how he went to bed last night after our fight, no tossing or turning.

The gym was closing in ten minutes and dhampirs were rushing to grab their things and leave. Jovan had gone to the bathroom and left his duffle bag out by a bench.

Maybe it was because I felt a need to prove either Dimitri or myself wrong, but I didn't resist the urge to look through Jovan's bag. My stomach turned over, but it's not like what I was seeing was illegal. I shoved the items back into the bag and zipped it closed. I left before Jovan could come back and see me near his stuff.

This was all the proof I needed. Dimitri and I were right.

Alexei walked up to me. "Are you okay, Rose?" he smiled kindly. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine, Jovan. Really."


	11. Something Frightening, Something Scary

**Title:** Something Frightening, Something Scary

 **Author:** VAlover10

 **Background:** A Halloween party at court sounds like fun right? But not when there are people lurking in the shadows who will stop at nothing until they have gotten what they want. This story is based on the brief period of time not told in either series Vampire Academy or Bloodlines after Lissa has become queen but before Jill was attacked and became shadow kissed.

* * *

Halloween. The time of year for children to dress up and knock on doors asking for candy or the time of year when every girl can dress like a skank and not be arrested for one night. I was never a fan of Halloween. When you fight the undead for a living and have a special ability that allowed you to see ghosts you kind of don't see the point of dressing up. Of course in the human world those creatures of the night do not exist, unless you are an alchemist-but everything unexplainable or unnatural is evil to them.

Lissa loves Halloween and insists on dressing up. While I argued and complained the costumes were nice and the parties were fun. My favorite Halloween would have been when we were living on the run. Lissa had bought these cute fairy costumes and did our makeup with glitter swirls. That was the first time I felt like a human but that was before we were dragged back to St. Vladimir's.

Since then, I have graduated, saved the love of my life, been accused of murder, broken out of prison, found Lissa's half-sibling, was reunited with the love of life, proved my innocence, was shot, survived and became my best friend, the new queens, Guardian. It was a busy year. Now it had been six months and I had fully healed from the shot.

I tapped my foot impatiently on the marble floor as I waited for her royal majesty to finish getting dressed and get her ass out of the bathroom. The Queen had given me, Dimitri and Eddie the night off to celebrate Halloween at the party in the ballroom. As always I complained but Lissa's orders were final and her precise orders were to lighten up and have fun. It had been a stressful six months so it was nice to have time off to party with my closest friends.

"Well, well, well," came a smooth voice from behind me. "What do we have here?" he asked rhetorically. I rolled my eyes and slowly turned around to look at my boyfriend.

"Oh comrade don't start with me I don't-" I started but frozen when I saw what he was dressed as. His dark brown hair looked black as it was gelled back smoothly and off his face. His face was chalk white and had a pair of plastic fangs sticking out his lips. He was dressed in a cheesy Dracula costume frills and all and had a black and red cape tied around his neck. It was ironic considering he was dressed as the evil bloodsuckers we killed for a living, but, what was even more ironic was he was one of those evil bloodsuckers less than a year ago. The red contacts, pale complexion and fangs reminded me a little too much of when he was a strigoi but the costume made it hilarious and so I ignored all the memories that made my skin crawl. Instead, I burst out in laughter and had to hold my stomach from the pain.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. I just thought the cowboy costume would have been hilarious but this is even better," I responded.

"Don't laugh at me Roza at least I dressed up," he said and he was right. I decided the best costume was to go as what I already was.

"What do you mean no costume?" I said holding up my silver stake. "I am Rose Hathaway, the Badass vampire slayer." Dimitri gave me a pointed look. "Or maybe I will be Van Helsing," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"That's better," said Dimitri pulling my chin up to meet him for a kiss.

"But not good enough," said a new voice. Dimitri and I pulled away and I turned to meet Lissa now dressed in an angel costume complete with halo headband and white feather wings. Her dress was simple and white but on her it made her look like the angel I always saw her as. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked towards us.

"You are wearing a costume," she said, well, more demanded. "What happened to the costume we bought?"

"I was going to but it's too cheesy. I didn't want to do Halloween anyway I don't see why we have to do couples costumes," I argued.

"Because " she started. "This is the first Halloween when we are both in relationships and I want to show it off," she said.

"Fine, well, Dracula and Van Helsing still work as a couples costume," I stated.

"Not as much as Dracula and Bride of Dracula," she retorted.

"How about I be Renfield I'm sure there must be something in my wardrobe that I can wear to make me look like a lunatic," I argued and heard Dimitri whisper something under his breath about me already being one.

"Rose," Lissa said with a sigh. "Just put on the dress."

"Fine but no promises that I will wear it," I said and walked into the Bathroom where my dress hung neatly behind the door. I pulled it on and looked in the mirror. The dress was a tight white sleeveless mermaid style wedding dress with obvious red paint thrown on to look like blood. Once I was in it I opened the door and was met with looks from Lissa and Dimitri.

"I look stupid," I said flat out.

"No, you look like the bride of Dracula. Or you will when I'm done with you," said Lissa and she pulled me back into the bathroom before I could say anything. "Just wait there Dimitri we will be done soon." She said and I heard him laugh as the door closed. Lissa got to work straight away seating me in a chair in front of the mirror. My hair was straightened till it was dead straight and reached my ass. My makeup was done similar to Dimitri's with chalk-white face paint and plastic fangs. Lissa gave me clack Smokey eyes and blood red lips to complete the look and secretly she bought a bottle of fake blood with my costume and poured it in the corner of my mouth, on my neck and on the collar of my dress.

"There, all done," she said and stood back to look at her masterpiece. I sighed.

"I guess it's too late to back out now," I said.

"Oh, there was no way I was going to let you back out. Come on Rose it's a party and you have the night off. Guardians are on duty all around and everything is perfect just have fun," she said and again I sighed before nodding. She was right. I needed to let myself off tonight and just enjoy myself. And then later enjoy Dimitri. Lissa walked out but I stayed and looked at myself in the mirror for a couple more seconds. There was something haunting about seeing myself as a proper vampire considering a number of times I had almost became one. I quickly threw that thought out of my mind and stood up following Lissa out to Meet Dimitri. He looked me up and down and smiled a rare smile that made my legs wobble slightly. He had been smiling a lot more recently but they still had the same effect on me.

"You look beautiful my bride," he said and kissed me. When we pulled back I smirked.

"Careful just because our costume couple is married that doesn't mean we are. Not until there is a two in my age," I teased.

"Oh Roza, why do you have to be so stubborn?" he asked rhetorically with a smirk.

"I'm not stubborn. I just like to not be a teenage wife," I said.

"I understand completely and that is why I haven't proposed yet," he said.

"What? So you asking me to marry you wasn't the proposal?" I asked.

"No trust me, you will know when I am proposing," I smirked.

"Well if you do you had better make it a rock star ring- nothing subtle, got it comrade?" I said jokingly.

"Understood," he answered and kissed the top of my hand.

"Come on you two. We have to meet the others," said Lissa from the door.

"Liss, you are the queen. Everyone has to wait for you," I said.

"Yes well they have waited long enough," said Lissa sweetly but I could tell she was getting impatient. I nodded and we all headed out, Dimitri and I hand in hand.

We walked down to hall to the top of the stairs where we would be meeting Christian, Eddie, Jill, and Mia.

"Wow someone's in a hurry," I said as we followed behind Lissa who was speed walking down the hall.

"She is probably just anxious to get to the party. She is the host after all," said Dimitri in a hushed tone.

"Or she wants to get to Christian," I said as we approached the stairs. "Speak of the devil." I announced while in my mind I added ' _Literally'_. Christian stood dressed in black dress pants and white shirt with a red suit jacket and black tie. This outfit could have just been as casual as mine if it wasn't for the plastic devil horns and painted wooden pitchfork in his hand. Lissa met him for a hug and I smiled.

"This costume suits you Fire Boy. Down to your personality," I said and he smiled.

"Don't get me stated Rose. Why do you think I agreed?" he asked.

"Maybe so you can finally unleash your evil personality," I said and he laughed.

"Don't I already do that?" he queried.

"Yes but now you get to exchange deals for souls," I said.

"Actually I chose this costume so I could do this," he said and flicked his fingers until he held a small orange and yellow flame in his hand. "Now I can use my magic for fun, not just a weapon," he said and I smiled wickedly.

"Where are the others?" asked Lissa when we had finished our friendly banter.

"They should be here any moment. Eddie is with Jill and apparently, Mia is already at the party with her dad," said Christian. At that exact moment, I heard a squeal from behind me.

"Rose!" I turned to find Jill running towards me. I met her in a hug.

"Hey, Jill. Since we had found out that Jill was Lissa's half-sibling we had gotten closer and she had become another member of our family. Things were still tense between her and Lissa but it was definitely better than it had been six months ago.

"Wow is it just me or are you getting taller," I doubted especially since she was already so tall. Moroi were always tall but Jill was especially tall for her age. She stood back and I looked at her costume. She was dressed in a familiar looking fairy costume.

"Where did you get that? It's almost identical to the one Lissa wore," I said.

"That's because it is," said Lissa.

"Huh?" I asked confused. Lissa smiled.

"I gave one of the seamstresses the photo of us and asked if they could make a costume similar for Jill," explained Lissa.

"They did a good job," I said, as I looked it over again. Her hair had been curled and pinned back neatly and had a silver headband keeping it off her face. "You look beautiful Jill," I said and she blushed nervously.

"Really? Oh, thanks, I wasn't sure about it because this is what you guys wore but after Lissa went through so much trouble I couldn't say no. Thanks for doing that Lissa by the way. You didn't have to but thank you this dress really is beautiful," said Jill in her normally cute rambling way.

"Where is Eddie?" asked Lissa.

"He was right behind me but said he had to get something from his room. He should be down in a minute," said Jill. "I really like your Costumes guy's."

"Oh thank you, Princess," said Dimitri sweeping her an over the top bow. She giggled.

"Angel and devil that really is cute and it suits you both," said Jill.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" complained Christian. I chuckled lightly.

"And Dracula and Bride of Dracula?" she questioned.

"Correct. I was going to be a vampire slayer but someone said no," I said looking at Lissa.

"Hey, we bought the dress you are wearing it," she said with authority.

"Yes and I am," I said.

"Whoa. Since when does Rose Hathaway does follow the rules? Even if they are from the queen?" said a new voice. We all turned to see Eddie wearing some kind of ancient gladiator costume complete with the sword, shield, and helmet.

"Not fair," I complained. "How come you get to carry weapons? Lissa almost slapped my stake out of my hands." Eddie chuckled.

"It's apart of the costume Rose and I know you have your stake with you," he said. I flashed him a smirk and lifted the skirt of my dress flashing my combat boots.

"You're right," I said and pulled my stake out of where I hid it in my boot. "Never leave home without it." Eddie gave a small smile in agreement.

"Shall we go?" asked Dimitri with his arm out for me. I giggled lightly and took his arm.

"We shall comrade."

We made our way down to the ballroom where Music was blasting and bright lights flashed like a club. People cheered as they drank and danced in their costumes.

"Come on, let's get some drinks," said Lissa and she and Christian took off through the crowd of people to the bar on the other side of the room.

"I'm going to go dance," announced Jill.

"I'll come with you," said Eddie. There was a look in his eyes that was familiar to me. To others, it would look like protective affection for his charge but I knew him better. He liked her but she was oblivious. They went off through the sea of dancing people. I stood at the doorway for a couple of minutes still holding Dimitri's hand unsure whether to go in or bail.

"Are you alright Roza?" Asked Dimitri. I turned to him.

"Yeah," I responded and blinked myself to reality. "Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed that's all," I said truthfully. It had been a long time since I had been to a party and I wasn't sure I was comfortable about going to one with hundreds of people. At St. Vladimir's I was at every party Drinking, dancing and making out with all different people, but that was before we ran away and was brought back and before I became the serious guardian I am.

A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped around fast as lightning ready to strike until I saw whom it was.

"Wow, what is Rose Hathaway doing outside a party? The old Rose would have been first through the doors and onto the nearest stripper pole," she said but in a joking tone.

"Hello, Rose."

"Hello Mia," I said and I hugged her. "Sadly I don't think there are any stripper poles in the ballroom." I joked.

"Oh damn this party is going to be Lame," she said and I laughed. "I love your costumes guys. Cute."

"Oh thank you. I like yours as well," I said. She was dressed in a short black and red dress with red and black long striped socks and a black witches hat. In her hands was a straw broom that completed her costume. A few months ago I would have said the costume suited her bitchy personality but since then a lot has changed and she has become one of my closest friends.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"I just don't know if I want to do this," I admitted.

"What? Of course, you do. You used to love being the center of attention, what happened?" she asked.

"I grew up," I answered. Her face dropped in understanding.

"We all did. Let's face it we have all been through a lot this past year, you especially," she said. I looked down and fiddled with my fingers. "Hey, when you are ready, come in and join us or don't. It's just a party it doesn't matter. If you do I will be with the others and we are all here for you. Okay?" she asked. I nodded. She gave me a small smile and wondered off inside.

"Roza what's wrong?" asked Dimitri. "I know it's more than the party."

"You are right it's not. Ever since the talk with Adrian about the lives I ruined in the process of my happily ever after. I realized that there are a lot of people who have suffered from my actions. This party is just reminding me of the old days when I partied and was a bitch and how many people I must have hurt. These parties bring out the worst in people. I just don't want that to happen to me again," I explained honestly. I looked down at the ground scared to look him in the eyes. He put his hand under my chin and lifted my head up till our eyes met.

"Rose, Adrian was just mad that day. He just said that because of his anger he didn't mean it. You haven't ruined anyone's lives. Jill and Lissa both have a sister and even though their relationship had a rocky start they are closer now and they are friends. High school is a different story. I didn't know you before but I do know that no matter what you did it wouldn't have ruined anyone's lives. You don't need to feel guilty there was and is nothing you can do to fix everyone's problems. It's not your job. What is your job is to do as your charge says and she says have fun. If you want we can both go back to our room and spend the night just us," he said and it sounded very tempting. "But I know you and I know you don't like just sitting around. You like to do something and so I suggest we go in and if you don't like it, in half an hour we can leave if you want. Just give it a try. Besides, you are wearing a costume." I smiled and nodded. He was right. I would give it a chance and so I took his hand and we both went inside. Techno music blasted through the speakers louder than before. Bodies were grinding against each other and I was glad this was for eighteens and plus. Jill was an exception being Lissa's sister. Girls in very short dresses and stilt-like heels danced sultrily to the beat of the music. A few months ago I would have been one of them but now here I am in a couples costume with my boyfriend. I loved saying that. We found Lissa and the others over to the side of the room where they were dancing with themselves. I pulled Dimitri by his hand and led him over where we started to join in. I danced as I usually did but when I looked at Dimitri he didn't look to interest.

"Not your usual dance music?" I yelled over the music.

"I don't dance but no this isn't. I would rather the old music anyway over this," he replied. I laughed.

"Oh that's Right I forgot your weird 80's music obsession," I said and he smiled broadly.

"It's either that or country," he said still grinning.

"Hold your horses' cowboy. This is a club party I don't think they will have any country here," I told him.

"Maybe your right, we shouldn't have come," he said and I laughed. We continued dancing for a while and swaying closely on slow songs. I=we had been at the party way over half an hour but I didn't want to leave. After a while, I felt really hot and sweaty and I needed to get some air.

"I'll be back in a minute," I said to Dimitri and he nodded.

I made my way through the sea of sweaty bodies disgusted by the smell that hung in the air. Now I _really_ needed fresh air. I opened the doors to the balcony and was instantly wrapped in a fresh cold breeze. I sighed as I made my way to the stone ledge and leaned on it. I looked out over the courtyard where that statue that Abe blew up in my escape had been replaced with a new one.

"Fancy seeing you here," said a voice from behind. I slowly turned around and found Adrian sitting on the corner ledge of the balcony with a half-empty wine bottle in his hand. His naturally messy hair was messier than usual and he had stubble growing on his face. I had seen Adrian drunk many times and sometimes I thought that was the worst I had ever seen him but this was worse than any of those times. His white dress shirt was half hanging out of his pants and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The shirt was crinkled like he had slept in it and didn't change. I stayed where I was scared that I would piss off drink Adrian and he would end up doing something he would regret.

"Where have you been Adrian?" I asked softly.

"I took a trip with dad to see mum in Jail," he said and I was confused. He must have seen it on my face because he was too drunk to read my aura. "Didn't you know? Yup, that is where she is. After you exposed the real murder and told the truth about where I was that day my mother had to confess her bribery and tampering with evidence. Now she is in jail," he explained. My stomach dropped and I recalled what I said earlier to Dimitri. I have ruined someone's life with my actions. I wasn't talking about Adrian's mother but Adrian. After what happened I heard that his parents got a divorce. I guess Nathan couldn't stand being looked at as someone married to a woman in prison. Adrian has been caught in the middle ever since. His moms in jail, his parents are divorced and I cheated on him. I really did ruin his life. I was about to apologize but then I was brought back to a memory.

"Wait, I saw your father yesterday at court. I thought you said you were with him?" I asked.

"I was. We came back three days ago. I've been in my room with my liquor to keep me company," he said and I sighed and remembered why it wasn't my fault. Adrian's mother made her own choice to bribe Adrian out of the picture. She is in jail for her own actions. From what I saw of Adrian's parents they were already pretty separated and only stayed married to keep up appearances and Adrian. We had talked. I explained myself and I apologized over and over. Even if he didn't forgive me I didn't see what else I could do.

"Adrian, why are you here?" I asked.

"The party? I came for the booze and of course for the fun. Should I have worn a costume?" he asked sarcastically.

"No," I said and looked me up and down.

"You look nice. Dressing up for your man?" he asked and took another drink from his bottle.

"Not by choice," I muttered under my breath. He gulped down more of the wine and I stormed forward snatching it from his hands. "I think you have had enough." He looked mad but did nothing to stop me. Instead, he reached into his pants pocket and brought out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I sighed and rolled my eyes before snatching those as well.

"Hey," he complained.

"Why do you do this to yourself? Get wasted till you pass out. You have such a bright future Adrian if only you could see it. If you stop drinking and smoking and sleeping around maybe people will take you seriously and you will have a chance to get a real life for yourself," I said.

"Look at you all high and mighty. You may have gotten your happily ever after Rose but that doesn't mean you get to start telling others how to live their lives," he spat.

"I'm not. I'm trying to help. I care about you and seeing you like this hurts me," I said honestly.

"Than leave. Go back inside, dance with the Cradle Robber and leave me," he said but I shook my head.

"I can't do that. Come to dinner tomorrow night. Everyone will be there Lissa, Jill, and Eddie. Come and be apart of our family. We are here for you and even though you might still hate me don't hate the others. They care about you," I said and he looked frazzled. It was silent for a moment before he nodded and stood up.

"Alright, I'll come. I don't forgive you Rose but in time I will get over it. I always do," he said. I nodded and smiled and he turned away stumbling his way back inside.

I turned back around and sighed. I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them I saw something. It was fast I almost missed it but I saw something. It was some black figure dash across the courtyard to the entranceway of the building. I was baffled but moved quickly turning inside picking up my skirt and running through the sea of people for the doors. Dimitri spotted me and smiled but that smile faded when he sees my face. Something was wrong. He joined me and we both ran out the doors.

He followed me and we silently ran along the corridor. He didn't ask me anything but he knew there was something wrong and would help me. I continued running until I heard the sounds of someone approaching. I signaled to Dimitri and he nodded. We both his behind too separate pillars on both sides of the doorway and waited. The person walked in cautiously and I tackled them to the ground Dimitri pulled out his stake while I held them down.

"Wait!" the figure cried out underneath me. I moved back and pulled off their hood revealing a young girl. A young _Moroi_ girl. I was shocked. And looked to Dimitri to find the same look on his face. I turned back to the girl and brought my stake like I did when interrogating Strigoi in Russia. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Start talking?" I demanded.

"I was hired to come and kill the Dragomir princess," she cried. Again I was shocked.

"Who hired you?" I asked.

"I don't know," she answered.

"You must know something. Why do they want her dead?" I asked pushing the pint of my stake lightly to her throat. She gasped.

"They don't like the queen. Want her off the throne. There are many of us. They sent me because they think I can get close to the princess but I cant. They threatened to kill my brother if I didn't try tonight. Plese, that's all I know," she looked like she was telling the truth. I pulled back my stake and tucked it back into my boot.

"We will take her for interrogating. Maybe Lissa could compel her into telling us more," I said to Dimitri he nodded. The girl cried out frantically and with my hand removed from her arm she lashed out and grabbed a dagger from her hoodie pocked and sliced her neck. Dead. With in moments she stopped moving choking on her own blood. I got off her and stood by Dimitri.

"They want Jill. What does this mean?" I asked.

"It means there are a lot of people who don't like Lissa the as queen who will go to extreme lengths to get her off the throne. Jill is in danger," he said and I nodded.

"We can't tell Jill or Lissa until we know more. I will tell the guardians but we can't worry them not until we know," I said.

As of tonight Jill's life is in danger.


	12. Seeing Double

**Title:** Seeing Double

 **Author:** BookWretched

 **Background:** Takes place after Last Sacrifice. Shoutout to hes-beauty-hes-jason-grace for the prompt! Halloween only rolls around once a year, but Dimitri is going to regret his resolution to let Rose have her fun. Is he seeing double, or is Rose up to one of her tricks again? I don't know, Comrade, maybe you should cut back on the vodka.

* * *

My knuckles sound on the wood of the bathroom door, and in my frustration, they sting a little from the unintended force of the impact.

"Rose?" I call.

There's no reply, which I really should have expected. She's been in there for about fifteen minutes. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be cause for concern, but there are some very strange sounds emanating from within. That, and our shifts start in two minutes.

"Can you hurry up, please? We're going to be late."

My eyes flicker anxiously over to the clock on the wall, and the curse comes unbidden to my lips. Is she doing this on purpose? Honestly, I don't know what's taking her so long. She knows how much I hate not being on time.

Immediately, I scold myself for thinking that.

Yes, we are probably going to be late, but Halloween only rolls around once a year, and the poor girl deserves the chance to dress up for a change. Some of the younger guardians take the opportunity to relax a little before the big annual Halloween Ball, at least in terms of the dress code. On Halloween, one can expect to see a variety of ghosts, ghouls and goblins parading the halls. I never participate, of course, but I can hardly begrudge them their fun.

And Rose is young. Sometimes I forget that, what with her impressive array of achievements, amassed as they are over such a short career. As a mentor, I couldn't be prouder, but as her boyfriend, I know that she sacrifices a lot in order to perform her responsibilities so diligently. If I had one wish, it would be that she had more opportunities to act her age, and enjoy herself for once.

Well, here's a chance for her to do that, I tell myself. You shouldn't be so negative.

Even though we are now officially late. I begin to pace up and down outside the bathroom door. Seriously though, if she'd known she was going to take this long, couldn't she have started getting ready sooner?

A loud crash interrupts my internal grumbling, and this time, when I hammer on the door, it's with legitimate concern.

"Rose, are you okay?" All traces of irritation have vanished from my voice.

There's a groan, at the very least informing me that she's still alive.

"Do you need help?"

Finally, she replies. "No, I'm good. I'll be out in a second!"

Relief floods through me, and I can't tell if I'm happier about the fact that she's okay or that we're going to get moving at long last. However, it's marred by a twinge of unease. I know she can be crafty. What if she's made us late on purpose, so there's no time for her to change? I hope she hasn't been too lenient with the dress code. She knows how jealous I can get.

Footsteps sound on the other side of the door, and I recognise the subtle click of high-heeled shoes, followed by the louder sound of the bathroom door being unlocked. Slowly-almost painfully so-the door swings open on creaking hinges. And there stands Rose, in the doorway.

When I was a student at St. Basils, a lot of emphasis was placed on learning what Rose lovingly calls my "guardian mask." There was even a traditional hazing season, where the older students would use any means necessary to get us to break concentration and let our emotions show.

With my upbringing, I had a bit of a head start: there were all kinds of things you would pretend not to see around the commune. And of course, I made it my mission to excel at every aspect of my future career.

I did not show my surprise at being hit in the back of the head with a water balloon, outside in the middle of winter. I maintained my composure when I found my doorknob to be coated with an unidentified, yet suspiciously sticky substance. I didn't break once during the forty minutes it took for one senior to tell me about all of his sexual exploits, real or imagined, in graphic detail. And keeping a straight face has really come in handy over the years, with the things I've seen. Moroi trust us guardians to stay professional in any situation, including a crisis.

But this…this is beyond me.

As my eyes travel over Rose's costume, which includes an unsettlingly familiar brown leather coat, I cannot contain my look of abject horror. Of course, she's grinning hugely. I'd imagine that this is exactly the response she was hoping for.

"Guess who I am."

I shake my head in disbelief, rendered utterly speechless.

She really has gone all out, and even I have to applaud her effort. Her brows are much darker and heavier, and she's made the planes of her face more angular using makeup. There's even a light shadow across her jaw that's eerily convincing. Her long hair is artfully pinned back, to make it look much shorter than it actually is. She's wearing the usual white dress shirt and black trousers, just like I am. But over that, she has on a brown leather duster, which is identical to mine in all aspects but the size. The black platform boots lend her several inches, which explain the crash I heard earlier. So whereas she normally barely reaches my shoulder, now she's only half a head shorter than me.

"Well?" she says, once I've taken it all in. "What do you think?"

She knows exactly what I think, I know she's just stirring the pot. On the one hand, there are a few phrases I would like to mutter under my breath. But on the other hand, I want to laugh for ten minutes straight. So I do neither.

She's obviously just hoping to get a rise out of me, which is exactly why I decide not to give her the satisfaction. For the rest of the day, I silently vow that I will grin and bear it, knowing that eventually she'll get tired of the charade.

"We're late. Which is exactly how you planned this," I reply. My tone is that mixture of exasperation and amusement, familiar to anyone who associates with Rose on a frequent basis. "Let's go."

And so, the two Dimitri Belikovs head down the corridor, and on to the Queen's chambers.

The fact that we're already ten minutes late has set my teeth on edge, but the combination of our tardiness and the strange looks and laughter we seem to be attracting does away with my resolution to ignore it. Somehow, I hadn't factored in the reactions of the other people.

Rose and I are well known around court. According to the general populace, it's bad enough that we're dhampirs and we're dating, but our escapades the previous year seem to have elevated us to god-status, especially amongst the younger guardians. I pretend not to see the looks of awe and whispers that my appearance ordinarily seems to necessitate, so you would think that I'd have practice for a situation like this. But it's remarkably different when, instead of an undercurrent of respect rippling through the people, it's gales of laughter.

Of course, Rose is loving the attention. She meets the cheers and smiles of our co-workers with an irritatingly accurate approximation of my scowl, and then pulls out my patented raised eyebrow, to a round of applause.

I try to keep the grim nature of my forbearance from showing on my face, but I think Rose can tell anyway. Preventing my automatic eye roll in response to her sly grin, I lengthen my stride on purpose, which has two benefits: we move faster through the corridor, and will thus leave the crowd of admirers behind that much sooner, and Rose has to work that much harder to keep up with me, given her short legs and death-trap shoes.

Finally, we arrive outside the grand door marking the entrance to the Queen's living quarters. Despite myself, and the fact that we are now fifteen minutes late, I pull Rose aside before she can enter.

"What's up, Comrade?" she grins, eyeing my hand that's currently coiled around her upper arm.

"Is there anything I can do to persuade you to change?" My question comes out resigned. Of course I know the answer already.

She throws her head back with the force of her laugh, and by her expression, you'd think Christmas came early. "Really? You're giving in so quickly?"

I just press my lips together, trying to mask my growing desperation. It wouldn't be half as bad, if only she didn't have quite so much ammunition.

Her brown eyes glitter mischievously. "The night is young, Dimitri. There are many wonders in store for you."

Evidently, there's nothing I can do to sway her decision, at least at present. But I can easily be as stubborn as she is, when the need arises, and I think I can safely say this situation fits into that category. So I let it go, for now, but silently resolve to hold my ground. I will get her to change. Even if that means I have to fight dirty.

The first thing I notice when we walk in allows me to breathe a sigh of relief. Two other guardians walk past us when we appear, relieving them from their shifts. I should have known that Rose wouldn't have allowed her meddling to get in the way of the Queen's protection, and that she'd planned this far enough in advance to arrange for a replacement guard and give our normal schedules a little wiggle room. It's good to know that she knows where my limits are, and I feel much less irritation towards her as we go to find our charges.

Abruptly, my gratitude vanishes. It's even worse than I could have imagined.

Rose and I are not the only ones to break our pattern, it would seem. At this time of the morning, Lissa can normally be found at her desk, doing schoolwork or organising various state affairs. Christian usually dozes in bed, or watches her from the breakfast table. But not today.

The only coherent thought I can form through my surprise as I take in Christian and Lissa's appearance, is that I hope they got a wholesale discount on the brown leather dusters. Lissa, at least, has the grace to look a little abashed, while Christian merely grins wickedly from her side.

"Happy Halloween," she says, with a small smile.

I can't really blame her. I'm sure my face must be quite the picture of hilarity.

The queen's getup is a little more understated than Rose's. She has similar makeup on, to make her face look more masculine, and she too has clipped her hair back to resemble the length of mine. But with her plain black shoes, and her natural hair and eye colour—not to mention the somewhat more sympathetic expression on her face-the overall effect isn't as drastic. Something tells me it took a fair amount of coaxing to get her to join in on the joke at all.

Christian is another story entirely. He's gone all out: donning a brown wig and contacts to match the brown coat. Either he's dyed his eyebrows a lighter shade, or he's actually wearing makeup, and his face is a fair attempt at that professional mask I normally wear so well.

"Vat do you think?" he asks, a grin breaking through his composure when he sees my reaction to his horrific accent. Beside him, Lissa casts me an apologetic grimace.

I turn to Rose and narrow my eyes. "I'm just wondering how much she payed you to do this."

"Ve do zis for free. And for satisfaction of seeing your face."

I mutter under my breath and roll my eyes, calling forth all the patience I can muster. I can do this. I can get through this day. I can get Rose to call this whole thing off when the novelty dwindles, which shouldn't take very long if I pretend to be unaffected. They'll get a few laughs from the other people, but eventually everyone will go back to their respective busy days, and Rose and Christian will get tired of this charade.

"Christian," Lissa warns, trying and failing to keep the smile from her face.

I suppose it's the smile that lets him know he isn't really in any danger. Or at least, not from the queen.

"Who is zis 'Christian?' I see only Guardian Belikovs."

Inspiration strikes.

"Well, my charge is Christian Ozera," I inform him. "And if he's not here, then I guess I'm off duty."

Behind me, Rose lets out a quiet gasp, and I spin around to face her.

"An imposter!" she growls. She fails miserably, in a hilarious effort to make her voice deeper that only succeeds in making my lips twitch.

She advances in those ridiculously high boots, stabbing a finger at my chest and trying to stare me down. "I must ask you to remove this costume, 'Guardian Belikov,'"—this is said with heavy sarcasm and air quotes—"because I would never abandon my post."

I honestly just don't know how to respond, at this point.

Christian frowns, folding his arms and theatrically stroking his lip as he thinks. He looks like he's an actor in some terrible melodrama, and I would point out that nobody would ever catch me doing something like that if I thought it would make a difference. Let them have their fun.

"But the impostor makes a good point," he muses. "Vere is my charge?"

Surprisingly enough, Lissa's the one who answers his question.

"Christian has always been irritating anyway. I think we should just forget about him."

Rose grins, delighted that Lissa is playing along. I almost laugh myself, at the look of outrage on Christian's face. He can't even defend himself

"We need to find him anyway, or Hans will be on my case," says Rose. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

At some point, I'm just going to have to accept that I have absolutely no control over this situation. I suppose that the best thing for me to do now is to sit back and enjoy the ride, knowing that one way or another, I will eventually get Rose to change out of her costume.

And so, with a shrug and a grin, I suggest that we go and find him.

The first place that we decide to 'check' is the guardian headquarters. This time, as we walk through the crowd of my colleagues to get to Hans' office, I roll my eyes and laugh with them. Even Hans isn't immune as we troop into his office to find him sitting behind his desk. His lips twitch, and he lets out a snort of laughter, but then regains his composure.

"Guardian Belikov…s. Er, what can I do for you?"

"We're looking for Christian Ozera, sir."

At Rose's words, Hans' eyes flick towards the Christian-Dimitri that's standing in the open doorway. One glance over my shoulder tells me that half of the guardians in the office are trying to listen in.

"Well, I'm sure that you'll find him, if you look hard enough," he replies. "You know, I've always wished that I had more guardians like you, but this is not exactly what I meant."

"Thank you, sir."

We turn to leave.

"Oh, and Guardian Belikov? Just because it's Halloween, that does not allow for promiscuous dress. That amount of cleavage is simply not acceptable."

That's not something I ever thought I'd hear, but then, this isn't a situation I ever thought I'd find myself in.

Our strange group of Dimitris pauses on the room's threshold, and we all wait for Rose to do up her button. I briefly wonder why she isn't moving, and then realise with horror that Hans' raised eyebrow is directed at me. I blink stupidly, then reach down and fasten the top button of my shirt, while the office erupts in laughter. Even Hans smiles as we shuffle away. At least everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

Lissa has things to attend to that require the presence of the actual queen, and so, after a brief trip back to the royal chambers, I become one Dimitri closer to the status quo. Rose obviously has to go where Lissa goes, but since she and Christian seem to be so dedicated to their roles, the three remaining Dimitris stay close to the queen, causing quite a stir in the council meeting. It takes at least five minutes for the assembled people to quiet down. You would think that the novelty would have started wearing off by now, but it seems to be sustained by the attention of other people. Even once the meeting has started, we attract the gaze of several attendees, and Lissa notices.

"Guardian Belikovs," she calls, and all the heads swivel in our direction, as if now they've been given permission to stare. "You're distracting my council. Please wait outside. I'll join you when we've finished here."

Silently and obediently, we troop outside to the courtyard. It's one of the nicer ones, located as it is in an area that the queen so frequently inhabits. Pleasant stone walkways wind through manicured lawns and night-blooming flowers. The sweet aroma of the blossoms fills the night air that breezes lightly through, rustling the leaves of the trees that are planted here and there.

We make our way over to a wooden bench stationed beneath an intricate antique lamppost, casting a warm bubble of light on its surroundings. It's in clear view of the doors, so Lissa will be able to see us. We don't have very much time left of our shifts, but Rose and I normally escort the royal couple back to their living quarters, before we sign off.

Rose is the first to claim a seat, making me wonder if maybe those absurd shoes aren't giving her more trouble than she's letting on. Christian sits beside her, but I choose to remain standing. They may look like me, but I can deliberately retain my individuality through my actions. I'm the real Dimitri, and I choose to stand. So there.

But my satisfaction is short lived, as Rose and Christian delve into their respective duster pockets and each pull out a brand new western paperback. The move is so synchronised, I can only assume that they've practiced it, and once again, I begrudgingly admire the effort that they've put into this. Despite my irritation, getting Rose to read a book—let alone a western—might just be worth all this trouble. My fingers itch to joint them, but my desire to stay separate from them with my behaviour wins out, and I just stay still.

Lissa emerges some twenty minutes later, amusement playing about her lips as she takes in the scene. By the disbelieving look she gives Rose, I assume she shares my earlier sentiment.

"Boy, you guys have really committed to this, huh?"

Christian feigns indignance at her tone. "Of course ve are committed. It is our duty. Zey come first."

Even after hearing it all morning, the accent makes me wince, and Lissa looks sympathetic.

"I know they've taken this a little too far, but you have to admit that they've got you down pretty good," she laughs.

"Maybe," I admit, stopping my eye-roll just in time.

Christian stows his book and rises, walking to stand beside Lissa. He looks at us expectantly.

There's a brief flicker of some emotion across Rose's face. Regret? Trepidation? But it's gone on the next instant, and she ponderously gets to her feet.

"Those shoes seem to be giving you some trouble," I note wryly, as we walk along. She gives a noncommittal noise in response, making me smile.

"If they're really that bad, why don't you take them off?"

"I'm sure you'd just love that," she mutters, and Lissa laughs. "I'm going to see this through, Comrade. The shoes are staying on."

Her words may sound brave, but her tone gives her away. I can tell that she's close to cracking, and we lapse into silence as I begin running through various situations in my head, and planning accordingly. This continues until we part with Lissa and Christian at their place. Of course, he makes the most of his final moments as me in my presence, but I'm so preoccupied that it's easy for me to ignore him.

Then Rose and I make our way back to our apartment, her winces getting more pronounced at each step, while I grow increasingly amused.

"You can't keep this up for much longer." Can I help that my tone comes out a little smug?

"Watch me," she growls, and I bite back a laugh.

Soon.

"So, what do you want to do, Guardian Belikov?" I ask as we walk through the door.

Now that it's just us, I know exactly which buttons to push. I love Rose, but I have no shortage of potential blackmail, should the need arise. Her reply makes me smile again.

"Take these damn shoes off."

She limps over to the couch. The sound of zippers floats over, followed by two thumps and a groan.

"So," I say pleasantly, settling down beside her. "You want to watch a western movie?"

I can almost hear her grinding her teeth. Now that the fun is at her expense, she doesn't seem quite as keen to play the game. Of course, I'm just testing to see how far I can push my luck before she punches me.

"You know I do." Though her eyes make it clear that she'd rather do almost anything else.

I look into her eyes, currently filled with irritation, and suddenly inspiration strikes.

I lean forward, closing the gap between us in one swift movement as I press my lips to hers. She responds instantly, and I hold nothing back. I wait until she's fired up, and then, seconds later, I pull away.

"What gives?" she asks, indignant.

I grimace. "I'm sorry. It's just…really weird to be kissing myself. I'm not a narcissist."

She narrows her eyes, but I can see the fire awakened behind her annoyance.

"Please, Roza. Take the costume off."

Reaching out a hand, she strokes back a tendril of hair that's escaped my tie, her gaze playing over my face as she weighs the pros and cons.

"Okay," she says, finally.

A triumphant grin spreads across my face.

"But."

Oh no. "But what?"

She smiles at the sight of my expression, and then leans in a little closer to make her husky whisper heard. "But you'll have to take it off me."

This time, I laugh outright. "You know what? I think I can live with that."


	13. Still Want More?

Loved the Halloween one-shots but still want more?

Head over to NB313's profile page to check out her Halloween story... **_Two Truths and a Lie_**

 ** _._**

Our final short-story collection for the year will be coming out just before Christmas it's going to be a Festive Special!

Make sure you fav/follow VA10thanniversaryproject so you get the updates :)


End file.
